Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray is a locality within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in northeastern Alberta. The city sits where the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers meet, surrounded by thick forest and large oil sand deposits.

The Hudson's Bay Company founded a fur trading post at this site in 1870. The modern city emerged in the 1960s when large-scale oil sand extraction began.

The name honors a 19th-century Hudson's Bay Company trader called William McMurray. Today, the oil industry shapes daily life, drawing workers from across Canada and around the world who bring their own traditions to the community.

Fort McMurray International Airport links the region to larger Canadian cities. Highway 63 runs directly to Edmonton, roughly 435 kilometers (270 miles) to the southwest.

The Cree people knew the area long before European contact and used the oily material from the sands to waterproof their canoes. The Birchwood Trails network runs 135 kilometers (84 miles) through the surrounding wilderness, open for outdoor activities all year.

Location: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Inception: 1870

Elevation above the sea: 260 m

Shares border with: Wood Buffalo National Park

Website: http://rmwb.ca

GPS coordinates: 56.72639,-111.38028

Latest update: December 15, 2025 16:30