Fire threatening Fort McMurray could burn for weeks, possibly months

Rainy, first long weekend of the summer isn't something Canadians usually wish for, but in communities threatened by wildfires like Fort Nelson and Fort McMurray, it's everything they've been hoping for. That's a look at some of the fire defenses in Fort McMurray. Sprinklers are in place in neighborhoods closest to the flames. Alberta's wildfire service say rain, cooler temperatures and calmer winds have slowed the wildfire spread towards the city, but they warn it's burning underground. And as Sam Sampson tells us, rooting out the flames could take weeks and even months of hard work. It is a constant rotation of trying to make sure the fire is being fought. These helicopters are dropping off and picking up and dropping off and picking up. It's taking off again to go pick up more. There are more than 170 firefighters fighting this fire that is threatening Fort McMurray right now. Provincial and local fire crews are working together to get the fire under control. It shrunk to less than 200 square kilometers in size thanks to firefighting, cool temperatures and rain. And it's that combination that will help over the next few days. There's still a lot of work to be done because these fires burn into the ground. There's like a deep layer of organic soil in forested areas that burns very deeply. So firefighters, even when it's raining, they're digging up hotspots and putting additional water on it so that and exposing it to to the air so that they can really make sure that everything is is extinguished while crews fight on the front line. The municipality is leaning on decisions it made after that 2016 fire that burned down entire neighborhoods like this. So look at this. See how far away the houses are from the Bush? That is intentional. It's a design to act as a fire break to keep the flames and the heat from the homes at Bay. If that becomes necessary now, the 6600 residents that were ordered out of neighborhoods like this, we're told to stay out until at least after the main long weekend. Because as much as this rain might be helping with the efforts, it's still too early to say if it's safe to come back. Sam Sampson, CBC News, Fort McMurray, AB.