Traffic, Smoke Builds as People Escape Fort McMurray Fire

Hundreds of buildings were reported damaged after a wildfire forced the evacuation of the entire town of Fort McMurray, Alberta, on Tuesday, May 3. Authorities reported 88,000 people evacuated from the town without injury, and videos from the scene show people driving by the fire as it crept closer to roadways.

This timelapse video tracks one family’s escape from the town. It shows the massive amount of traffic as thousands of people fled the town and also the smoke and, in one spot, the fire itself.

Local media reported the fire had grown to 10,000 hectares, which is approximately 24,700 acres. Additionally, authorities reported 1,600 buildings had been destroyed by the fire. Credit: YouTube/Carlos Miguel Borges