Fort McMurray's Wildfire Comeback

0:00It's May 1st. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. Ten years after the horse-river wildfire tore through Fort McMurray, Alberta, on May 3, 2016, folks there are still haunted by the smell of campfire smoke. That beast of ablaze forced 90,000 people to evacuate, wiped out or damaged 2,500 homes and charred nearly 6,000. Square kilometers of forest, it remains Canada's costliest disaster with insured losses hitting $4 billion. The fire jumped the only highway in and out, trapping drivers in a nightmare of flames and smoke, with trees torching cars on both sides. Two people died in a crash during the escape, and the whole region shut down for a month, turning the city into a ghost town. Residents like Hardware Store owner Rob Rice can't shake the terror of that drive, but they've rebuilt stronger with 2,200. 31 homes back up and a tight-knit community trading, coffee, supplies, and even pet rescues

1:00during the chaos. New businesses popped up, fueled by that unbreakable spirit. Firefighters learned hard lessons too. Studies showed many develop asthma from the smoke, so now they stock way more gear, get regular checkups, and ditch the old tough guy vibe. Evacuation alerts got smarter, with leaders like former Premier Rachel Nottley setting the standard for clear updates that stuck through later crises. These days, Fort Max population is climbing back toward $108,000, but with wildfires raging hotter across Canada, it's a stark. Reminder to prep hard and tackle climate change head on, turning scars into strength.