A wildfire that has forced thousands of people out of their homes in Canada's oil sands hub city of Fort McMurray was held in place Thursday, as rain and cooler temperatures swept the area. Alberta provincial wildfire information officer Christie Tucker said the blaze remained out of control — the only such designated fire in the province — but it did not grow overnight and remained at 200 square kilometers in size.
“With some help from the weather I am very hopeful that this is headed in the right direction,” said Sandy Bowman, mayor of the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo that contains Fort McMurray. Evacuated residents are likely to remain out of their homes until at least next Tuesday. The rest of the city and other surrounding subdivisions remain under evacuation alert.