Canada:Alberta declares state of emergency as fire leads to evacuation

The Canadian province of Alberta has declared a state of emergency after a raging wildfire has torn through the city of Fort McMurray, forcing more than 80,000 residents to be evacuated.

The fire started on Sunday, but no injuries have been reported.

Officials estimated that 1,600 structures had been damaged or destroyed by Wednesday night, reports Guardian.

The local officials said that 80 percent of the neighborhood of Beacon Hill has been destroyed.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though a human cause is considered likely.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley told a press conference that the evacuation was the largest in the history of the province, adding high winds and hot temperatures could make the situation worse.

During the evacuation, long lines of cars were framed by giant plumes of smoke and fire.

Around 17,000 residents fled to the north and another 35,000 headed south.

Fort McMurray lies in the heart of Canada's oil sands region, the third-largest proven crude oil reserve in the world. So far, there has been no reported damage to the facilities there.