Rachel Notley

“If there is water damage, mouldy food, etc, our house and many others will be a biohazard by the end of the summer if the cleanup takes that long."

"We didn't have a respectful tone yesterday. We express regret for how things unfolded. The intention was never to embarrass the (Alberta) premier or the premier of Ontario."

"We will rebuild our city and it will be better," says Wildrose Leader Brian Jean, fighting back tears.

The fire overnight destroyed a 665-room workcamp north of the city and two other camps are threatened by the flames. Two explosions in the city damaged 10 homes.

Wildfires that levelled neighbourhoods in Fort McMurray slowed their rampage through tinder dry forest in northern Alberta on Sunday, allowing firefighters in the oilpatch city to focus on hotspots.

A massive convoy is underway to move evacuees stranded at oilfield camps north of Fort McMurray, Alta., through the fire-ravaged community to safe areas south of the oilsands capital.

Bracing for a long wait for Fort McMurray: “Unfortunately, we do know that it will not be a matter of days.”

Alberta hopes to airlift 8,000 evacuees to safety in the south this afternoon, and open up the roads for the remaining 17,000 stranded in the north.

Canada is a country of people who help each other in challenging times, Trudeau told his caucus Wednesday.

It's considered to be the largest fire evacuation in Alberta history. The entire city of Fort McMurray, in the heart of the province's oil sands region, was evacuated due to a raging wildfire.

This is the second cabinet retreat Trudeau has held.