SUNCOR RESTARTS PRODUCTION NEAR FORT McMURRAY

Suncor Energy Inc. restarted oilsands

operations outside wildfire- ravaged Fort McMurray, Alta. It’s a move that enables thousands to return to work. Suncor and other oilsands operators took off-line this month more than 1 million barrels a day of output, as wildfires spread in the region and forced evacuations and the shutdown of pipelines and power supplies. “Cooler weather and several days of precipitation” have improved conditions, Canada’s largest energy company said in a statement on Sunday. Alberta lifted mandatory evacua- tion orders for the last of the accommodation and production sites last Monday, which started the process of inspections by forestry and health officials to make sure they’re safe. Officials say industry facilities are no longer at immediate risk as firefighters take advantage of better weather to keep the flames at bay. Suncor said 4,000 employees and contractors are back in the region, including Fort Hills workers, with an additional 3,500 people likely to return in the coming week.