Devendra Kumar
Residents of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories, have begun fleeing an approaching wildfire in long convoys while air evacuations are underway for those who cannot leave by road. This is the latest chapter in Canada’s worst fire season on record, with over 5,700 fires burning across the country. The fire is within 16 kilometers of the northern edge of Yellowknife, and people in the four areas of the city deemed to be at highest risk have been told to leave as soon as possible.
The city’s fire information officer, Mike Westwick, warned that strong north winds could push the fire towards the highway needed for evacuation, and residents in other areas should be out by noon on Friday. While some rain is forecast for the region, first responders are taking no chances, and authorities are urging residents to leave the city promptly. “I want to be clear that the city is not in immediate danger and there’s a safe window for residents to leave the city by road and by air,” Shane Thompson, a government minister for the Territories, said at a news conference.
Despite the urgency of the situation, officials are urging caution and reassurance. The city’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, is expected to convene an urgent meeting with ministers and senior officials to discuss the evacuation. As of Thursday, 1,053 wildfires were burning across the country, with more than half of them out of control.
The evacuations from the Northwest Territories have been safe and orderly so far, with evacuees who cannot find their own accommodation able to get support in three centers in the nearby province of Alberta. Only those without the option of leaving by road should register for the evacuation flights, officials added, while those who are immunocompromised or have a condition that puts them at higher risk were also encouraged to sign up.
Indigenous communities have been particularly hard hit by the wildfires, which threaten important cultural activities such as hunting, fishing, and gathering native plants. The US has also seen devastating wildfires, including one on the Hawaiian island of Maui that killed over 100 people and destroyed a historic town. Rural areas near California’s border with Oregon were placed under evacuation orders on Wednesday after gusty winds from a thunderstorm sent a lightning-sparked wildfire racing through national forest lands.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents of Yellowknife are being urged to obey emergency management officials, traffic control devices, and posted speed limits. “We’re all tired of the word unprecedented, yet there is no other way to describe this situation in the Northwest Territories,” said Premier Caroline Cochrane. She urged residents to stay informed and follow the guidance of emergency officials, and to remember that the country is watching and neighbors are keeping them in their thoughts and prayers.