Justin Trudeau Sings Praises of 'Backbreaking' Fight to Save Fort McMurray From Wildfire

Local leaders greeted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he touched down in Fort McMurray, Alberta on Friday to meet with first responders and see for himself the destruction left by a wildfire that forced 80,000 people to flee the city last week.

Speaking to 150 first responders, following a tour of the city, the prime minister said despite constant updates and watching the situation unfold on TV, only today did he come to understand the full scale of what had happened.

"I don't think Canadians yet understand what happened," he said. "They know there was a fire. They're beginning to hear the wonderful news that so much of the town was saved."

Trudeau praised the workers for their "extraordinary response" to the fire that unexpectedly shifted in the direction of the city last Monday — officials confirmed earlier this week that 85 percent of Fort McMuray is still intact. "The whole scope of it, what has been achieved here, is quite frankly amazing."

"It is a reflection not just of your extraordinary capacities and training, but of your courage and your will," he said, commending their ability to endure "the incredibly long days, the backbreaking and sometimes heartbreaking work."

Walking through the neighborhoods of Beacon Hill and Abasand later, which saw the most extensive damage, Trudeau stopped beside an abandoned pink child's scooter that stood amid the debris. He declined to have it moved, saying it should be left for its owner to find when they return.

With — Adam Scotti (@AdamScotti)May 13, 2016

— Adam Scotti (@AdamScotti)May 13, 2016

Fort McMurray Fire Chief Darby Allen, who met the prime minister on the tarmac at the Edmonton airport and presented him with his own fire jacket, hoped the visit would lift the spirits of hundreds of emergency workers who've been working non-stop to ensure the city is ready for residents when they return.

"We've been working hard for the last two or three days on this re-entry plan (for residents)," he told reporters on the ground. "We've got a few challenges around that."

The two boarded a plane to Fort McMurray, along with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and several cabinet ministers who are part of a federal task force coordinating efforts to help reconstruct the city.

Local representatives, including Melissa Blake, the mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray, were also on board.

The flight took Trudeau over a several of the neighborhoods ravaged by the fire — while some structures are still standing, many have been burned to the ground. After landing, Trudeau was taken on a tour of the city from a Griffon helicopter.

Alberta's senior wildlife manager Chad Morrison told reporters Trudeau asked to also see the areas of the city that had been saved from the fire, so the tour included a flyover of the downtown area, which was largely untouched, as well as the city's hospital.

"I'm personally very appreciative that he's coming in to survey it firsthand because once you see it, you know just how daunting the work will be but how important it is to make it back to what it was before," said Blake, stressing the importance of Trudeau seeing the burned neighborhoods first-hand.

He also toured the fire operations centre, was updated on the progress of fighting the fire, and personally thanked some workers on the ground.

As of Thursday afternoon, fire conditions remained extreme in the province. The Fort McMurray wildfire is now about 241,000 hectares in size, with 509 firefighters, 31 helicopters, and 13 air tankers working on the Fort McMurray fire. It's now around 13 kilometers away from the Saskatchewan border.

Trudeau has waited over a week to go to the site of the disaster and the visit is being closely scrutinized.

"One of the challenges for politicians is that they need to get help to people, and it's often difficult to show that you're doing that in the short term," said Christopher Cochrane, a political science professor at the University of Toronto. "Also, in terms of the visibility aspect, they have to avoid treating a disaster area like a photo op, not just for political reasons, but for good, sound ethical reasons."

"A prime minister doesn't need to be on the ground in order to understand the gravity of the situation," said Cochrane, adding that his job is to coordinate the response at the highest levels, while experts provide him with on-the-ground assessments.

Trudeau's government has already promised to match donations made by Canadians to the Red Cross disaster relief fund, which had now crossed the $50-million mark on Wednesday. Donations from May 3 to May 31 will be covered under the commitment, with no financial cap.

Ottawa provided military equipment to fight the fire, and Trudeau has also formed a special cabinet committee to coordinate the federal government's part in reconstruction efforts in the Fort McMurray area.

In addition, Ottawa has expedited employment insurance applications for evacuees who have lost their jobs to give them some immediate relief. But Notley has asked the federal government for enhanced employment insurance for the displaced Albertans, and is expected to make an appeal to Trudeau today.

The 2016 Wildfire Recovery Task Force is expected to present a plan for bringing people back into the city within two weeks, said an update from the Alberta government. Right now, workers are trying to ensure all water services, electricity, gas services, sewage and wastewater, telephone services and other utilities are functional. They're also inspecting major roadways, bridges, and health facilities to ensure they're safe to use.

Watch the VICE News dispatch, Inside the Alberta Wildfires:

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.

Follow Tamara Khandaker on Twitter: @anima_tk