If Mother Nature cooperates, some of the 80,000 people who were forced by rampaging wildfires to flee their Canadian city could start returning home on June 1.
Those who live in the least damaged sections of Fort McMurray will be allowed back first and the rest of the residents could be back in their homes by June 15, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced Wednesday.
Calling it "a conditional timeline," Notley said several requirements have to be met before anybody will be allowed back in the beleaguered city .
Among other things, she said, the fires can no longer pose a threat, the hospital is open, all roads are reopened, 911 service, gas and electricity are restored, and food and drinking water are available.
Some 90 percent of the city survived the behemoth blazes, including the hospital, water treatment plant and airport, Notley said.
The entire city of Fort McMurray was ordered evacuated two weeks ago after wildfires devoured an area bigger than New York City and threatened to burn the oil producing Canadian city to the ground.
As of Wednesday, fires still burned outside Fort McMurray, particularly in the Fox Creek area, according to an Alberta government update.
