Suncor Energy has shut down its 215,000 barrel-per-day Firebag oilsands project in northern Alberta as a precaution due to an out-of-control wildfire burning nearby, Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen said Thursday.
In a Thursday morning post on X, formerly Twitter, that has since been deleted, Loewen said Firebag was shut down late Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
Suncor declined to comment on whether Firebag production had been affected.
“An emergency-response team is monitoring the situation closely and prepared to take further action if necessary,” a Suncor spokesperson said in a statement.
“There is no risk to our other operations or the Firebag airport at this time.”
Several wildfires near the Firebag River are being managed together as the Firebag Complex, Alberta Wildfire said in an update Thursday.
All are classified as being held, except for MWF047, which is classified as out of control.
The wildfire, about 2,119 hectares in size, is approximately 70 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray.
But it is significantly closer to several oilpatch facilities: it’s about eight km northeast of Suncor’s Firebag site, 14 km northeast of Suncor’s Firebag airport and 16 km east of Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands site.
“We are currently working with industry organizations that have infrastructure near these wildfires,” Alberta Wildfire said.
Thirty-six firefighters, nine helicopters, three pieces of heavy equipment and other staff are working on the Firebag Complex. More resources are coming, Alberta Wildfire said.
One crew is working to secure the perimeter of MWF047.
Firefighters are working on areas of the wildfire that are closest to infrastructure. Other crews are working to put out smaller fires burning nearby.
There was significant fire growth toward the south on Wednesday, “with the fire showing intense activity,” Alberta Wildfire said.
Airtankers were used early Wednesday to help slow fire growth, and a night-vision helicopter worked overnight.
Thursday’s forecast calls for a high of 28 C and a relative humidity of 30 per cent. Wind is expected to be from the west at 15-20 km/h, with gusts up to 35 km/h, which would push the wildfire toward the east, Alberta Wildfire said.
In his post on X, Loewen said more than 60 fires are burning across Alberta and officials have rated the fire danger in the north of the province as very high to extreme.
Weather forecasts show an extended period of hot weather will settle over Western Canada in the coming days, with temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees by next week.