Over 20,000 residents of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories, are being forced to evacuate as a Behchoko/Yellowknife wildfire rages out of control, threatening the city located less than 10 miles away.
The Northwest Territories government has issued an evacuation order, also impacting nearby areas and First Nations communities.
The order, announced on Wednesday by the minister of municipal and community affairs, has set off a flurry of evacuations by both car and plane. With firefighting teams battling more than 230 active fires across the region, authorities are racing against time. Residents have been given until noon on Friday to leave, with concerns that the wildfire could encroach on the city by the weekend if no rain falls.
The government's status report states that the fires remain "out-of-control" and satellite images from Tuesday show the extent of the blaze around Yellowknife.
A night-long effort by airtankers was employed to fight the fire, while firefighters on the ground tackled hotspots and worked to safeguard structures along the main road out of Yellowknife. In the city, protective measures such as activating sprinklers and creating fuel breaks are being put in place.
Heart-wrenching images on social media capture the chaos as bumper-to-bumper traffic fills the roads with residents attempting to flee the area. The visuals also show vehicles navigating through dense smoke, with charred trees lining the route to safety.
Kimberly Benito, a student from the Philippines residing in Yellowknife, documented her evacuation journey. She expressed awe and fear as she witnessed the fire's impact. Evacuation flights are available for those unable to travel by road, especially for those with health vulnerabilities. The use of boats for evacuation is discouraged due to deteriorating air quality.
Municipal Affairs Minister Shane Thompson declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources for firefighting efforts. Yellowknife, historically associated with mining and currently known as a cultural hub, is now grappling with these unprecedented fires. While the immediate danger to the city itself is considered low, the evacuation has been initiated as a precautionary measure.
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