LAC LA BICHE, Alberta (AP) — The Latest on Canada’s massive wildfire. (All times local).
11 a.m.
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Syncrude, a major oil sands mining company in Alberta, is shutting down operations and removing all personnel from their site because of the massive wildfire in the area.
The company said in a statement that while there is no imminent threat from fire smoke that has reached its Mildred Lake site. They intend to have all personnel out this weekend and started the evacuation early Saturday.
Syncrude says they will restore operations when there is no risk and said despite the extraordinary measures the jobs of more than 4,800 employees remain secure.
The fire has dealt a blow to the region’s crude production, with companies curtailing production or stopping it altogether.
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Canadian officials are continuing to transport residents of wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray out of the area.
Police and military are overseeing another procession of vehicles Saturday, and the mass airlift of evacuees was also set to resume. About 2,500 vehicles and 7,000 people had passed through Fort McMurray on Friday despite a one-hour interruption due to heavy smoke, authorities said.
More than 80,000 people have left Fort McMurray in the heart of Canada’ oil sands, where the fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings.
Thousands of displaced residents being relocated in convoys got a view of their burned-out city on their way south.
