THE Massive Alberta Fire

My life is so strange to me as you shall read below.

My wife and I, and possibly our children too, could have been living in Fort McMurray, Alberta at the time when the fire broke out. You see, dear reader, quite a number of years ago I almost moved there since I was being interviewed by one of the large oil companies to get a job there, due to my experience as a lawyer.  I will tell you about that subsequently in a bit more detail in this article.

I was concerned about going to Fort McMurray to live and work to be honest because I had no idea how well I would adapt to a slower pace and smaller population, after growing up in the busy city of Toronto.

Back to the story now. Many years ago, probably 25 or more at least, my wife and I were brought to Fort McMurray by the major oil company there at the time. I was being interviewed to see if I should be appointed to a significant legal position with that company. Interestingly, I knew at least one member of the company's executive there with whom I had worked at the oil company for which I had worked with previously. We had a number of conversations about a new job there.

I was there for several days not only being interviewed but also having the opportunity with my wife to see all around the area including the area of operations of the oil company.  The company wanted to make sure that we would be prepared to live in such a small town. Accordingly, we were given the opportunity to examine it.

Obviously, I did not get the job. That was both a disappointment to me and also in hind-sight a very good fortune as well since I don't think that move would have been the best choice.  Nevertheless, I did find it a very attractive area to live in with a big opportunity to make a fair bit of money if one was able to be successful in the end.

I must admit that when I looked at the town at that time, it was not really all that well built from a housing perspective except for one area where I probably would have lived. It was quite a nice and "suburban" looking there because I believe that that's where most executives from the various local companies lived. Other areas were not as attractive or as well built. Shopping would not have been inexpensive either because there were not too many shops at the time. I can only remember as an example only one big supermarket for the entire town. I merely assumed that the prices would be excessive so that salaries would have to be high as well. 

I don't really know how well or not the town grew and what the town is like there now because I frankly have not done very much research into it nor have I ever gone back. After all, I was no longer working for anyone in the oil industry and in the end, I really had no interest in living in a smaller town in Western Canada like Fort McMurray. I would believe however that there are many oil companies working in that area now and the town has expanded and progressed in development, making it an enjoyable place to live for those who like that kind of environment.

Here is a part of a story that I read this morning from CBC News that I found extremely shocking. It just does not seem believable at all that Nature can destroy a powerful human development backed by major companies seemingly so easily:

"Fort McMurray wildfire burning so hot, only weather can stop it

'Perfect storm' of factors makes Alberta wildfire a powerful force, but such fires could be 'the new normal'

Lucas Powers, CBC News, May 05, 2016 

The raging wildfire that has forced the evacuation of Fort McMurray, Alta., and engulfed parts of the community is the kind of blaze that firefighters dread, but could become more common, according to experts.

Alternatively described by officials as "catastrophic," a "multi-headed monster" and a "dirty, nasty" fire, the blaze is at least 10,000 hectares in area and has destroyed more than 1,600 structures. It could threaten the entire community, they said.

The wildfire became so intense Tuesday that the heat limited air operations over the affected areas. More than 150 firefighters are battling it on multiple fronts, with hundreds more from other provinces expected to arrive in the coming days.

Temperatures are expected to remain high, with a glimmer of hope on the horizon as a cold front approaches. It could, however, bring lightning with it, possibly starting more fires. It is a nearly impossible situation.

The wildfire is an extreme example of the power of Mother Nature, but offers some interesting lessons about the science of wildfires.

The conditions that preceded the start of this fire were quintessential wildfire conditions: a seemingly endless supply of dry fuel on the forest floor and in the canopy, and intense heat. All that was needed was a spark, and whether it was caused by human error or lightning (an investigation is underway), once the spark was there, the fire became a beast.

"You hate to use the cliché, but it really was kind of a perfect storm," says Mike Wotton, a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service and adjunct professor in the faculty of forestry at UBC in Vancouver.

"There was a mild winter and not a lot of meltwater from the mountain snow pack. Now, a stale air mass has been sitting over Alberta, and it led to very low humidity. Then there was an early, hot spring, and everything got very dry. Then on top of that, it got windy."

I must admit when I first saw the story about the big fire there I did not expect a disaster like this to ever happen in such severity. 

Personally, not choosing Fort McMurray to live was the right choice, but for many others, I am sure they really love it there and being in such a welcoming community has provided a great life for themselves and their family. I had to make some difficult choices and moving from Toronto to Windsor was quite a shock to the system for many reasons, but when we found the perfect home in South Windsor at the time, I knew I was making a good decision. With any big move, there are pros and cons. You just have to figure out what is best for your situation and take that leap. Living here over the years has provided myself and family with a lot of good opportunities, notwithstanding some challenging times, but hopefully more positive outcomes in the future.

Please show your support in whatever way you feel inclined to, for all the families in Fort McMurray,