Fort Mc Murray:: Controlled Disaster?

Sad to say that many Canadians wish that Tar Sands oil production facilities in northern Alberta would simply disappear.  These delicate souls are concerned about the environment, and worried sick about pollution from the oil and gas industry.

A week ago, 10 forest fires mysteriously appeared on the outskirts of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and 3 days later most of the town and its suburbs had burned to the ground.  Fort McMurray residents are employed  at Tar Sands  facilities.  The fire rages on and is still out of control today.  If a fire like this got underway in southern California and could not be controlled, the entire city of Los Angeles would have been gone years ago.  California is well known for its huge wildfire problem.

In my life experience I have never seen an inferno on the scale that we are witnessing at Fort McMurray. I had never seen a fire that could not be put down by Canadian fire crews.

I cannot believe that's this disaster would be allowed to go unchecked out of angst over operations in the Canadian Tar Sands. The scale and persistence of the conflagration is beyond my understanding.  It does not speak well for future prospects in Canada's remote communities.