Fort McMurray wins FireSmart award

FORT McMURRAY- The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has won a fire protection award two years after a massive wildfire ravaged parts of Fort McMurray.

FireSmart Canada says the award recognizes the work that has been done to clear brush from around the city and to make people aware of what they can do to protect their homes.

People have also planted 78,000 fire-resistant trees around the community.

The 2016 wildfire torched an area covering almost 5,900 square kilometres, destroyed 2,400 buildings and caused billions of dollars in damage.