Commodities
Wildfires Erupt in Canada Crude Patch in Threat to Oil Sands
- Hot weather stokes fires near Alberta’s Fort McMurray
- Flames have already cut oil production at some sites
Hot weather has caused fire activity to pick up in recent weeks, with more than 50 out-of-control fires burning in Alberta.
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Hot and dry weather is spawning dozens of new wildfires across Alberta, with blazes threatening more than 400,000 barrels a day of Canada’s oil production.
In the past 24 hours, 47 new fires emerged in the province, most of them in the Lac La Biche region, which is south of Fort McMurray, said Kai Bowering, spokesperson for Alberta Wildfire. The arid conditions are expected to persist for the next 24 hours, making it easier for the blazes to spread, Bowering said.