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The images are ones of devastation — scorched homes, virtually whole neighborhoods burned to the ground. And Canadian officials say they expect to fight the massive wildfire that has destroyed large parts of Alberta's oil sands town for months. There's fear the growing wildfire could double in size and reach a major oil sands mine and even the neighboring province of Saskatchewan.

Alberta declared a state of emergency Wednesday as crews frantically held back wind-whipped wildfires that have already torched 1,600 homes and other buildings in Canada’s main oil sands city of Fort McMurray, forcing more than 80,000 residents to flee. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said fire had destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,600 structures. Flames are being kept from the downtown area thanks to the “herculean” efforts of firefighters, said Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. No injuries or fire-related fatalities have been reported. The fire appeared late Wednesday near the airport, where crews were onsite. All commercial flights...

It took the market over a day to appreciate the fallout from the devastating Canadian wildfire which has led to a state of emergency in Alberta, the evacuation of over 80,000 people in the oil sands gateway city of Fort McMurray, and the destruction of over 1,600 structures. According to insurance industry reports, losses from the fire are approaching $1 billion, and will likely set records for the country. The average cost of a single-family home in the community was recently around CAD$627,000 ($487,000), Aon said, citing data from the local real estate industry, and cited by CNBC. That would...

Supercharged by winds of up to 70 km/h, the Fort McMurray wildfire ballooned to 85,000 hectares overnight and is now raging across a wide front south of the city. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and wildfire officials say the fire is expected to continue to burn out of control today as more than 100 firefighters, 10 helicopters and 16 air tankers work to protect homes and critical infrastructure. One major task on Thursday will be to move up to 25,000 people now sheltering in oilsands work camps north of the city. The province hopes to transport many of those people, who...

A wildfire has invaded Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, forcing the entire city to be evacuated Tuesday as the large blaze engulfed homes and businesses. Some 88,000 people were forced to leave Tuesday evening as the fire quickly spread, putting homes, schools, businesses and lives in danger, according to the Globe and Mail. Local officials said Wednesday morning that 80 percent of the homes in Beacon Hill have been lost, and the most recent census said the neighborhood is home to 2,200 residents living in more than 700 dwellings. At a Wednesday morning briefing, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the...

A huge wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alta., destroyed an entire neighbourhood and burned homes and businesses in several others Tuesday, and continues to rage out of control. By late afternoon, the entire city of 60,000 had been ordered evacuated. Residents by the thousands fled the fire and for hours caused gridlock on Highway 63, even overwhelming oilsands work camps, where beds and meals were offered. Police were patrolling the highway with cans of gas, after fuel supplies ran out in Fort McMurray, Wandering River and Grasslands.

"Look at a recent still photo of Cruz on the trail the next time you get a chance. He’s not looking happy... Cruz’s Mom and Dad DID become Canadian citizens." "They were not only registered to vote, but they were registered with the Alberta, Canada Health Services. Provable Canadian citizenship required."

A quarter of Republicans think White House hopeful Ted Cruz is disqualified to serve as U.S. president because he was born in Canada to an American mother, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. Republican voters nearly mirror independents and the broader electorate in their belief that Cruz cannot hold the White House, with 27 percent of all voters and 28 percent of independents responding he should be disqualified. Cruz, a U.S. Senator from Texas who was born to a U.S. citizen mother and Cuban father in Calgary, Alberta, has brushed aside the attacks about his eligibility as pure politics. But...

'I was thinking to myself, "How are we going to get out of this situation? This is pretty dire"' The cougar leapt from the bushes behind them. "It froze and started hissing at us," said Donald Lauder. He and his friend, Samantha Lean, both from Australia, were out for a bike ride in Alberta's Jasper National Park earlier this week. They left their bikes at the highway and walked through the brush down toward the river. About 200 metres down the path, they heard rustling in the brush. Nervous, she picked up a big stick. He picked up rocks. The...

My competition is your desire to do my will for I am ready to oblige The Father actively moving through You in Spirit and in Truth , for these "ARE" The True Worshippers on fire with The ZEAL to follow after Me in greater ways than ever before ! John 14:12-13 Praying in Jesus’ Name 12 “I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it...

When President Obama announced he was killing the Keystone XL pipeline, he said he was agreeing with the State Department’s assessment that the pipeline from Canada “would not serve the national interests of the United States.” The fact is that it would not have benefitted the personal financial interests of friend and economic mentor, Warren Buffett, who can rest assured that oil from Canada and the nearby Bakken formation in North Dakota will continue to be transported by a railroad he owns. As Investor’s Business Daily noted in a 2011 editorial: Killing the Keystone XL pipeline may help one of...

FORT McMURRAY, Alberta — At a camp for oil workers here, a collection of 16 three-story buildings that once housed 2,000 workers sits empty. A parking lot at a neighboring camp is now dotted with abandoned cars. With oil prices falling precipitously, capital-intensive projects rooted in the heavy crude mined from Alberta’s oil sands are losing money, contributing to the loss of about 35,000 energy industry jobs across the province. Despite a severe economic downturn in a region whose growth once seemed limitless, many energy companies have too much invested in the oil sands to slow down or turn off...

The Fox News report that the Teamsters have decided not to endorse Hillary Clinton’s candidacy at this time, shortly after her pronouncement of her opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, does not surprise and shows the peril of trying to be all things to all constituencies. On the one hand, there is a need to placate environmentalists and climate change true believers who oppose the pipeline from Canada. Among them is billionaire Tom Steyer, an eco-zealot who has pledged his fortune in support of Democratic candidates who want to repeal the Industrial Revolution who want us to rely on solar...

“There’s just no cash.” That’s the Coles Notes from a senior banker describing the book of oil service loans he manages for one of Alberta’s leading lenders. There’s simply not enough cash flow to support current levels of debt. Bankers and borrowers have kicked the can down the road about as far as they can as more oilfield service (OFS) and exploration and production (E&P) companies default on their loans and seek more relief on lending covenants. While a significant oil price increase to lift all the sinking boats will surely come, it won’t happen soon enough. More of the...

Chucking a barf bag at a taxi driver has landed a Calgary woman in trouble with police. According to cops, a taxi picked the woman up on Aug. 23 in the area of 1 St. and 4 Ave. S.E. It was around 3:20 a.m. The woman upchucked inside the cab en route to a home in Sandstone. The driver offered the woman a bag, which she used. Police say the vomiting continued on the exterior of the cab when they reached her destination. When the driver requested a clean-up fee — city council last year approved a $100 levy to...

Redemption is on its way for those lost and trodded upon as a doormat "Truly" KNOW I stand before you and I have become this for you. So now your declaration is "REDEEMED" for I AM your Redeemer from the lies of the enemy. Redemption is yours eternally just come to Me that I may heal your broken hearts for I AM your Hope and Healer . So now just come and drink from My Love for you are My creation and I love you for you Are My Beloved friend and I have already laid down My life for...

On Monday, March 21, 2011 the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta received word that the remains of either a plesiosaur or an ichthyosaur had been discovered in the Milllennium Mine operated by the petroleum company Suncor Inc. This mine is located about 30 km north of the town of Fort McMurray (population ~50,000) in northeastern Alberta (about 800km north of Drumheller), and is one of the places where bitumen rich sand is mined and refined into various petroleum products. On Wednesday, March 23, 2011 myself and technician Darren Tanke flew up to Fort McMurray expecting to see...

My newest article yesterday weighed in on the Alberta election and posed the question, "Could Alberta Vote Socialist?" The answer is yes. Tonight, the people of Canada's most conservative province have elected an NDP majority government and thus ended the Tories' 44-year reign in power. That reign was the longest in Canadian history. The NDP have been elected or are leading in 54 of the 87 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The Wildrose Party remains the Official Opposition have been elected or are leading in 20 seats.

The Kings rented out their Calgary, Alberta, home in Canada using the popular renting service Airbnb. They thought it would be an easy way to help offset the cost of their travel with their two kids, CTV reported. They were wrong. The Airbnb renters told the King family that only four people would be staying at the home while they attended a wedding. So on Saturday, they handed over the keys and were off on their trip. But it wasn’t long before they their neighbors called and sent them text messages, explaining that they were concerned about what was going on. Later,...

Edmonton, Alberta, spends five months a year below freezing. Now, the Canadian city is considering a proposal to create a 7-mile skating trail for Edmontonians to use during their winter commutes.