The wildfire that is currently engulfing Fort McMurray in Canada started on Sunday. But efforts at quelling it are futile, due to the hot, dry and windy weather.

According to witnesses, several fires were first spotted southwest of the city. Extinguishing measures taken by the local government saw some good effect. However, Tuesday's strong winds blew the fire into the city area. And by Wednesday, Alberta declared an emergency and ordered its residents to evacuate.

Currently, the fire is still spreading, although at a slower pace than before. Many Canadian firefighters think only a cooler weather and rainfall can help contain the blaze. Wildfires are not rare in Canada. Fort McMurray sees forest fires every summer, which are normally put out soon. But this year's exceptionally dry weather, with no rainfall for more than a month has exacerbated the situation.