On May 1, 2016, a wildfire began southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. On May 3, it swept through the community, forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta's history, with upwards of 88,000 people forced from their homes. Firefighters were assisted by personnel from both the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as other Canadian provincial agencies, to fight the wildfire. Aid for evacuees was provided by various governments and via donations through the Canadian Red Cross and other local and national charitable organizations.
The evacuation of nearly 88,000 people began when a wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, and burned for another 14 months, becoming the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
On May 1, in the year 2016, The evacuation of nearly 88,000 people began when a wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, and burned for another 14 months, becoming the costliest disaster in Canadian history. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of May 1, one of 399 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on May 1, 2016 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
- The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
- Wikipedia source last updated on 25 March 2026.
On This Date in History 399
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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