The wildfires over Fort McMurray in May of this year were reportedly one of the worst wildfires in Canadian history, burning up more than 2,400 square kilometers of land and destroying more than 1,600 homes. But what also made headlines and entranced thousands of viewers were personal security camera footage and traffic camera footage that gave glimpses into what was going on during the devastation. Traffic and weather cameras and security webcams around the city allowed those

who fled to remotely see if their homes had been lost to the fire that forced 88,000 to evacuate the city.

One homeowner, James O’Reilly, as reported by Reuters, evacuated his home in Fort McMurray and then tuned in on his mobile phone via his security camera to watch his home burn. The video showed smoke, ash and flames outside the window, which turned into the breaking of glass and smoke filling the room. Audio captured the crackling sounds of fire, breaking glass and a smoke detector before cutting out.