EVACUATION AND RETURN TO FORT MCMURRAY

9:50 p.m. Wednesday

Mandatory evacuation order for Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation, (about 1,000 people) issued. Evacuees who had sought shelter at a reception centre in Anzac are bused to Lac La Biche, Edmonton, and other more southern destinations. The municipality’s emergency operations centre flees to Lac La Biche.

Thursday, May 5

The fire spreads to homes, buildings, and a cell tower in north Abasand, the Prospect area and Old Airport Road. The emergency operations centre moves back to a Fort McMurray firehall. The city is surrounded by fire.

Airlifts start transporting evacuees lodged at oilsands camps north of the city to Edmonton and Calgary.

Friday, May 6

The fire has grown to 101,000 hectares and reached Anzac, destroying 12 structures.

A police-escorted convoy of people who drove to camps north of Fort McMurray begins trickling through town, 50 vehicles at a time. 7,500 people leave by road by the end of the day.

Premier Notley announces emergency funds for wildfire evacuees: pre-loaded debit cards worth $1,250 per adult and $500 per dependent.

Saturday, May 7

Fort McKay, a community north of Fort McMurray, is placed on a voluntary evacuation order as smoke grows thick. Around 200 people who are elderly or with respiratory problems are airlifted out.

Flights and drivers continue to flow out of northern camps.

Sunday, May 8

Nervous that flames might reach the facility, Syncrude shuts down operations, sending 1,500 people from the site.

Atco workers are in Fort McMurray aiming to restore electricity and gas lines. SPCA crews check on and feed pets left behind.

The last evacuees holed up in northern camps ship out of the north. Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale tours Northlands evacuation centre and commits to aiding Fort McMurray’s recovery.

An outbreak of gastroenteritis begins at the Northlands Expo centre. At least 40 evacuees fall ill with nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, and are quarantined away from the crowd.

Monday, May 9

Premier Notley tours Fort McMurray to survey the damage. She says about 2,400 structures are burned in Fort McMurray, which is approximately 10 per cent of the city.

Alberta Opposition leader Brian Jean and federal Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose tour the evacuation centre in Lac La Biche, where 2,000 people are housed.

Officials escort journalists on a media tour of Fort McMurray.

Imperial Oil and the Canadian subsidiary of Statoil close their facilities as a precaution.

Wednesday, May 11

People who fled Fort McMurray begin collecting emergency funding from the Alberta government and Red Cross at distribution centres in Edmonton, Lac La Biche and Calgary.

The Red Cross, which has raised $67 million to aid evacuees, also sends electronic transfers of $600 for each adult and $300 for each child registered with it.