Wildfire MWF-009, which came to be known across Canada as “the Beast,” was not ignited by a lightning strike, and police are now asking for the public’s help to determine whether the fire was the result of a criminal offence.
Provincial wildfire investigators have established that the fire was most likely the result of “human activity.”
The fire was first sighted about 15 kilometres southwest of Fort McMurray by an airborne forestry crew on May 1.
Over the next two days, the wildfire grew rapidly. On May 3, pushed by high winds and fuelled by tinder-dry conditions, the fire raged into the city itself and forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people.
“To date, police have not made a determination on how the fire was started, but would like to speak with anyone who was in the popular wilderness area known as the Horse River Trail System between April 29 and May 5,” the RCMP said in a statement Tuesday.
“The role of the RCMP is to determine whether a criminal offence was involved in the ignition of fire MWF-009.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP’s dedicated toll-free wildfire investigation phone line at 1-844-620-9826.
The fire destroyed some 2,400 buildings in Fort McMurray.
In the six weeks since it started, the fire has moved north and east of the city, and in recent days has shown little growth. It is now more than 80 per cent contained.
The fire has burned about 590,000 hectares and has a perimeter of about 1,000 kilometres.