The Fort McMurray fire that swept Alberta in the spring of 2016 was a devestating fire causing $3.58 billion dollars in insured damages through the destruction of roughly 2,400 buildings.

The presence of many campers during the spring season, and the absence of lightning on the day the fires started has lead people to believe the cause of the fire was likely human negligence on the camp grounds surronding the Fort McMurray area. It does not take much to forget to put out a fire, or to throw a cigarette in the brush.

These highly preventable, neglectful events are those that start most of the fires across Canada. Preventable measures must be taken in order to ensure events as tragic as the Fort McMurray fires don’t reoccur. This is a prime example of how important fire prevention and fire safety are, and why fire prevention measures should always be practised.