Fort McMurray wildfire: Super 8 Hotel goes up in flames during live report

A Super 8 Hotel to the south of Fort McMurray was ravaged by flames late Tuesday afternoon, among the many homes and business destroyed by an out-of-control wildfire.

The city has ordered the mandatory evacuation of some 53,000 residents as the fire raged through the city at the heart of Alberta’s oil industry.

FULL COVERAGE: All of Fort McMurray evacuated as wildfire intensifie

“This is about as bad as it gets,” Global National correspondent Reid Fiest said during a live report in view of the burning hotel. A gas station and a number of trailers in a nearby trailer park also went up in flames, Fiest added.

In the footage, flames can be seen ripping through the roof of one the hotel’s structures, just metres from Highway 63 — the main corridor running through the city.

RAW VIDEO: Fort McMurray Super 8 hotel, vehicles destroyed in wildfire

2:11 Raw: Fort McMurray hotel burns, aftermath of fire

Earlier in the afternoon, Fiest and a Global News crew were live on the air along another stretch of Highway 63 when the fire grew drastically in a matter of seconds, swallowing up trees and scorching the landscape along one side of the road. On the opposite side, embers from the blaze set a swath of grass on fire just behind the fire station.

READ MORE: Flames erupt along Highway 63 during live Global News broadcast

Speaking live from the scene of the hotel fire, during Global National’s 5:30 p.m. MT broadcast, Fiest said the situation was growing more “dire.”

“When you drive by, you know why you have to get out,” Fiest said. “It’s just too risky. You need to get out.”

WATCH: Meteorologist Anthony Farnell explains how weather conditions prime to fuel the wildfire

1:03 Weather conditions prime to fuel wildfire in Fort McMurray

The mandatory evacuation order for all of Fort McMurray came down at about 6:20 p.m. MT, although some areas of the city were already under evacuation orders.

A temporary evacuation centre was set up at another hotel, the Noralta Lodge, about 21 kilometres to the north of the city. But, that temporary evacuation city was at capacity as of 5 p.m. MT.

To the south of the city, the Horizons North Black Sands Executive Lodge, which normally serves workers in the oil and gas industry, is also hosting evacuees.

Several oilsands work camps farther afield have also opened their door, while people in safer locations have taken to social media to offer places in their homes to those fleeing the fire.

READ MORE: Where to go if you’ve been evacuated

Watch below: Ongoing video coverage of the Fort McMurray wildfire. 

1:43 Dramatic moments from Fort McMurray wildfire

• Dramatic moments from Fort McMurray wildfire
• Edmonton welcoming wildfire evacuees from Fort McMurray
• Fort McMurray wildfire: Residents flee the community
• Fort McMurray wildfire: Centres open to evacuees
• Dramatic video of Fort McMurray wildfire shared on social media as evacuations continue
• Alberta communities step up to help Fort McMurray evacuees
• Fort McMurray wildfire: Homes, trailers destroyed by fire
• Fort McMurray wildfire: 53,000 people forced to flee as fire enters community
• How Fort McMurray wildfire quickly exploded Tuesday
• Massive Fort McMurray wildfire forces thousands to evacuate
• Residents share dramatic video from Fort McMurray widlfire on social media
• Raw: Fort McMurray hotel burns, aftermath of fire
• Largest mandatory fire evacuation in Alberta history underway in Fort McMurray
• Dramatic video captures Fort McMurray evacuees driving through wildfire smoke
• ‘The end of days’: passenger who just left Fort McMurray
• Prime burning conditions fuel Fort McMurray wildfire

Previous Video

Next Video

Follow @ReidFiest Follow @nick_logan