Entire Population Evacuates As Wildfire Torches Canadian City

Fire raged unchecked through the Canadian city of Fort McMurray overnight as authorities raced to complete the evacuation of its population of 80,000, fearful that hot, dry winds forecast for Wednesday would further fan the flames.
About 44,000 people were estimated to have fled the city by late on Tuesday on traffic-chocked roads, and the province of Alberta requested military help to bring the blaze under control and airlift others from fire- and smoke-filled streets. "I’m afraid that huge parts of my home town... may burn tonight and will continue to burn," Brian Jean, leader of Alberta’s official opposition party, told CBC Radio, saying his own home was in the immediate path of the flames.