the Alberta, Canada, oil boomtown of Fort McMurray received warning of a wildfire in the forest about seven miles to its west. Despite initial reassurances from fire officials, the fire raced toward the city, swelling to more than half a million acres, and on May 3, 88,000 people were forced to evacuate. The fire — locals called it “The Beast” — destroyed more than 2,400 homes, caused $9 billion in damages, and profoundly disrupted the lives of all who experienced it. To author John Vaillant, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, its ferocity served as both a literal and a metaphorical expression of the petroleum industry’s power — as well as a shocking harbinger of the future. Which it was: By mid-May
When fire goes feral
Jun 01, 2023
4 minutes
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