A raging
forest
fire in the Canadian province of Alberta forced the
evacuation of 88,000
residents
this week. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls the damage “absolutely
devastating.” Fort
McMurray is in the northern part of Alberta, which is a province in western
Canada. The area around Fort McMurray is known for its
tar sands
from which oil can be taken. It is the third-largest oil reserve in the world
behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The fire started Sunday and is moving
rapidly
around the city. Some people are evacuating south towards the large city of
Edmonton. Others are going north toward the work camps close to the oil sands.
Residents report 15-foot-high walls of flame. The skies are gray
with smoke and soot.
* raging = 격렬한, 맹렬한, 극심한/ forest fire = 산불/ evacuation = 피난, 대피;
철수, 후송/ resident = 거주자[주민]/ devastating = 대단히 파괴적인, 엄청난 손상을 가하는/ be known for ~
= ~로 알려진/ tar sand = 역청(瀝靑) 사(암)/ oil reserve = 비축유/ rapidly = 빨리, 급속히/ flame =
불길, 불꽃/ soot = 그을음, 검댕
The Associated Press news
agency reports that the fire is especially hard to control because Fort McMurray
is warmer and drier than usual for this time of year. About
1,600 homes and other structures have been destroyed or damaged. Hospitals have
been closed and evacuated. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency says the
downtown area of the city is safe, so far. The evacuation has not been easy.
Some cars ran out
of gas on
the road. Some gas stations were damaged by the fire.
Gasoline trucks were called in to help some motorists refuel on the side of the
road. Many of the oil producers that remove oil from the sands say they will
slow production during the fire. Some staff have been
evacuated.
* this time of (the) year = 이맘때는, 이
계절에, 매년 지금쯤은/ run out of ~ = ~을 다 써버리다, ~이 없어지다; [물건]을 바닥내다/ on the road = (특히
장기간·장거리를) 여행[이동] 중인/ refuel = 연료를 재급유하다
Forest Fire Prompts State of Emergency in Alberta, Canada - WTS.mp3