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Premier Rachel Notley returns to Fort McMurray

Premier Rachel Notley returns to Fort McMurray

Alberta's premier will tour Fort McMurray Wednesday, nearly six months since the massive wildfire devastated the northern Alberta city.

Rachel Notley will meet with students, school counsellors, first responders and residents working to rebuild their lives after the disaster.

During her visit, Notley is scheduled to have breakfast with firefighters, tour Westwood Community High School, and meet the owners of a home in the north-end neighbourhood of Timberlea that was destroyed by fire, but is being rebuilt.

She will also meet with Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake and host a discussion with the local front-line agencies which helped residents throughout the disaster.

It's Notley's first official visit since June 1, the first day evacuees were allowed to return home.

During the earlier visit, Notley thanked those who defended the city against the flames and the residents of Fort McMurray for their patience during the evacuation and the month-long wait to return home.

The Fort McMurray wildfire forced 88,000 people to flee for their lives, the largest evacuation in Alberta's history, and consumed more than 2,400 structures.

The May 3 inferno is recognized as the costliest disaster for insurers in Canadian history. The total cost will reach $3.58 billion according to estimates from the Insurance Bureau of Canada.