FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – Residents of Fort McMurray started to return to the fire-damaged city in northern Alberta on Wednesday, but officials have warned that they should not expect everything to be running normally right away. Here is what they are facing:
Health Care: The Northern Lights Regional Heath Centre, the city’s only hospital, is not expected to return to full operations until after June 21. Its emergency department is to be open this week and some limited services are to be available in the beginning days of the re-entry. A temporary urgent care centre has been set up outside the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre.
Schools: Classes are to resume in September. Students can finish their school year in communities where they have been staying since the evacuation.
Waste disposal: Normal residential garbage collection is to resume June 16 and temporary transfer stations are to be available by Thursday (June 2).
Airport: Commercial air service to Fort McMurray International Airport is tentatively scheduled to resume June 10.
Stores: Crews have been working to get critical businesses such as banks, grocery stores and pharmacies running again. Supplies of some items may be limited in the beginning.
