Wildfire near Canada's oil sands hub under control, Alberta officials say

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A wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes in western Canada's oil sands hub of Fort McMurray earlier this month is now under control, Alberta officials said Wednesday.

Alberta wildlife officials said the blaze remains less than six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the community and is about 190 square kilometers (118 square miles) in size.

CANADA BATTLES WORST-EVER WILDFIRE SEASON, AS NORTH AMERICA ENGULFED IN SMOKE

A firefighter monitors a pump in a river bed used for wildfire sprinklers in the evacuated neighborhood of Grayling Terrace in Fort McMurray, Alta., Thursday, May 16, 2024.  (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

About 6,600 residents in four neighborhoods were ordered out for several days as fierce winds whipped flames close to the community.

The rest of those in the city of 68,000 were told they may have to leave on short notice. Those who were told to leave were able to return days later.

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The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

For some, the blaze brought back difficult memories of 2016, when wildfires forced a mass evacuation of the city and burned more than 2,000 homes.