Fort McMurray: the oil sands of the north

The Oil Sands Discovery Centre explains oil extraction from the bituminous sands that made the region famous throughout Canada with interactive models.

A short drive away, the confluence of the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers offers nature trails along the forested banks of northern Alberta.

Heading into the boreal forest, you can observe the wild landscapes surrounding the city, populated by moose, black bears, and numerous migratory bird species.

In the evening, the city center, rebuilt after the devastating 2016 fire, comes alive with restaurants frequented by local oil industry workers.

The Athabasca tar sands, among the world's largest unconventional petroleum reserves, transformed Fort McMurray from a trading post into a thriving oil-boom city starting in the 1960s.

In 2016, a massive forest fire forced the complete evacuation of the entire city, an event that ranks among Canada's costliest natural disasters and led to the near-total reconstruction of downtown.