Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will do all that it can to help those affected by an “absolutely devastating” wildfire that has forced 89,000 people from their homes and destroyed more than 1,600 buildings in Fort McMurray.

Trudeau told reporters he had personally spoken with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley Tuesday evening, when he offered the government’s full support. Various government departments – including the Canadian military – are in the process of mobilizing their responses, he said.

“It’s a loss on a scale that is hard for many of us to imagine. I want to say to the residents of Fort McMurray, Canadians are with you. Our thoughts are with you. Our prayers are with you.

“As prime minister, I want you to know that our government and all Canadians will stand by you and support you now, and when it is time to rebuild.”

Notley formally requested military help in response to the yet-to-be contained fire Tuesday night – which has triggered the largest fire related evacuation in provincial history.

The fire, spurred on by extremely dry conditions, a tinder-box boreal forest, high winds and warm temperatures, is expected to continue raging Wednesday, with provincial and fire officials warning the city could suffer more devastation.

Fort McMurray remains under a mandatory evacuation order – forcing thousands to flee the inferno, clogging highways.

There is only one main highway – highway 63 – leading in and out of the community. The route south has been closed intermittently because of the fire, forcing many to evacuate north to oil camps.

Several people have run out of gas, with Alberta transport and emergency personnel patrolling the highway with jerry cans to help stranded motorists.

Two Griffon helicopters are in Fort McMurray, Brig.-Gen. Wayne Eyre told reporters, Wednesday. One Hercules transport plane is set to depart from the Canadian Forces base in Cold Lake as needed while several others are on standby at the base in Trenton.

Eyre said a request for additional personnel has not been made yet, but told reporters the situation is being monitored closely.

Speaking to reporters before Question Period, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the federal government is also providing Alberta with satellite and geomatic support.

“It’s important to be able to track this fire and determine the elements that are contributing to where it’s going and what it’s doing,” Goodale said.

Health Canada, the minister added, is “stockpiling living supplies, cots and blankets and bedding” all the while “working in close collaboration with the Red Cross.”

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has promised to send 100 firefighters to Fort McMurray to help. More than 150 firefighters are said to in the region battling the blaze as crews from across Alberta try to get the fire under control.

The devastation ravaging Northern Alberta was the talk of Parliament Hill, Wednesday, as MPs reminisced about times spent in Fort McMurray and expressed deep concern for those affected by the tragedy.

“Like all Canadians, we’ve been shocked by the images that have been coming out of Fort McMurray,” NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said after caucus.

“The No. 1 priority to make sure that people are safe, but the images make it quite clear that there’s going to be a need for a lot of help going forward,” Mulcair said.

Conservative Interim Leader Rona Ambrose said she was briefed by Trudeau and Goodale about the fire this morning and encouraged Canadians to open up their homes to those in need.

“There’s 80,000 people without a home to go back to at this point and need to be safely moved out of the region, so it’s a huge concern,” Ambrose said.

Meanwhile, Canadians wanting to help are encouraged to donate to the Red Cross, Trudeau told the federal Liberal caucus.

The federal government has not said whether they will match Canadian donations to the Fort McMurray Fire fund. However, a spokesperson for the party said Wednesday all options remain on the table.

In his press conference, Wednesday, the prime minister also responded to questions on Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s comments linking the fire to climate change.

“One thing we know is that with climate change there will be more extreme events,” Trudeau told reporters, Wednesday. “But, we know very well that placing a direct link between any fire or a flood and climate change goes a step beyond what is helpful and does not benefit a conversation we must have.”

At a press conference earlier, May said climate change was a contributing cause.

“The fact that the forest fire season has arrived so early in northern Alberta is very likely a climate event – very likely related to extreme high temperatures and very low humidity, very low precipitation and it is, as we saw in the quote from one of the firefighters – it’s a firestorm,” May told reporters.

“It jumped a highway, it jumped a river. It’s a devastating tragedy right now and I think our focus is always on the right now: to think for the firefighters, for first responders, for people who are losing their homes. It’s a disaster. But it’s a disaster that is very related to the global climate crisis.”

May clarified those remarks in a press release Wednesday afternoon. “Some reports have suggested that the wildfires are directly caused by climate change,” she said.

“No credible climate scientist would make this claim, and neither do I make that claim. Rather, we must turn our minds in the coming days to the impact of increased extreme climate events, and what we can do collectively to respond to these events.”

With files from Amanda Connolly