Satellite images of the Beacon Hill North area show the devastation to the Fort McMurray neighbourhood.
Image Credit: Google Crisis Response compilation
May 06, 2016 - 1:00 PM
FORT McMURRAY - The nation has been watching as a wildfire ravages the city of Fort McMurray this week and now satellite imagery has been released showing the devastation in some neighbourhoods.
A wildfire, just 26 hectares and thought to be of lowering risk to the northern Alberta community Tuesday morning, quickly grew and forced mass evacuations by Tuesday afternoon, May 3. By the end of the day the entire city of more than 80,000 people were evacuated and more than 1,600 buildings destroyed.
The fire was estimated at 85,000 hectares Thursday morning and as of Friday morning the fire had grown to an estimated 100,000 hectares.
Residents and news agencies have been showing the destruction from the ground, but now Google has satellite images showing the before and after of several neighbourhoods hardest hit by the wildfire.
Google Crisis Response also has maps showing evacuation centres, road closures and alerts as well as wildfire status and significantly damaged neighbourhoods.
Abasand area of Fort McMurray, May 1, 2016.
Image Credit: Google Crisis Response
Abasand area of Fort McMurray, May 5, 2016.
Image Credit: Google Crisis Response
Waterways area of Fort McMurray, May 1, 2016.
Image Credit: Google Crisis Response
Waterways area of Fort McMurray, May 5, 2016.
Image Credit: Google Crisis Response
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