City of Yellowknife ordered to evacuate due to nearby N.W.T. wildfires
Everyone in the city of Yellowknife was ordered to start evacuating on Wednesday due to nearby wildfires.
Northwest Territories Environment and Climate Change Minister Shane Thompson urged residents to leave by noon Friday at a news conference on Wednesday evening. The evacuation will happen in phases, he said.
The evacuation will be done in phases due to level of risk, Thompson said. Buses and planes will be available for residents who have been ordered to leave the city.
The government is working with shelters to evacuate homeless residents, he said.
“I want to be clear that the city is not in immediate danger and there is a safe window for residents to leave the city by road and by air,” he told reporters.
“Please take this order seriously and be prepared to leave the city by Friday.”
Emily King, N.W.T’s director of public safety, said the details of the fire risk are being evaluated. Yellowknife has the resources to coordinate the best response and evacuation plan, she said.
Residents are asked to stay with friends and family if possible, she said, but those who need accommodations will be evacuated by air to nearby communities.
“We have worked with Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to identify host communities … The initial host community will be Calgary and we will re-evaluate if necessary,” King told reporters.
King did not specify where in Calgary evacuees can go for accommodations and support but said the N.W.T, government is working with Alberta to figure out a location.
Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty said the community evacuation was ordered so city staff can implement the evacuation plan while the highways are still open.
She urged residents to only share reliable and accurate information, and residents will
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