A massive wildfire near Fort McMurray, Alberta, that has grown to five times its initial size has spread south and forced more evacuations Thursday after 88,000 people fled the city in Canada's energy heartland. The uncontrolled fire has shut oil production in the area, driving up global prices and affecting projects and pipelines across the heavily forested region. Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for the Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates, and Fort McMurray First Nation communities, located roughly 50 kilometers south of the battered city of Fort McMurray, which was evacuated Tuesday. According to Reuters, at least 640,000 barrels per day of crude output is offline, roughly 16 percent of Canada's crude production. The outage is expected to continue as major players in the region cut production. Firefighters have been unable to stop the wildfire, which has charred 7,500 hectares since it erupted Sunday and exploded in ferocity. The weather forecast calls for cooler temperatures and a possibility of rain, offering hope that controlling the blaze could become easier. Authorities said that there had been no known casualties from the fire itself, but fatalities were reported in at least one vehicle crash along the evacuation route.
