Suncor cuts production as wildfire burns out of control near Firebag oilsands site

CALGARY — Suncor Energy Inc. says it has temporary curtailed some production after withdrawing all non-essential workers from its Firebag oilsands site in response to a wildfire burning out of control in northern Alberta.

The company, Canada's second-largest oilsands producer by volume, says its Firebag facility will be kept in a state that maintains readiness to resume full operations as soon as possible once it is safe to do so.

Spokeswoman Tara Weber says Suncor is "leveraging our integrated asset base in the region to minimize business disruption."

She says there is no risk to Suncor's other operations or the Firebag airport, but the company is prepared to take further action if necessary.

As of Thursday afternoon, a wildfire spanning more than 21 square kilometres in size was burning out of control about 70 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray, Alta.

The Alberta government said the fire was approximately eight kilometres northeast of Suncor's Firebag main plant, 14 kilometres northeast of Suncor's Firebag Aerodrome and 16 kilometres east of Imperial Oil's Kearl oilsands facility.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2024.

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The Canadian Press