Yellowknife is evacuating as N.W.T. fire nears. What are the escape options?

globalnews.ca:

The approaching wildfire is forcing Yellowknife residents to evacuate their homes and seek safety elsewhere.The wildfire is burning closer and the Northwest Territories government has ordered residents to evacuate.But they have very few options to escape the city. Flights start on Thursday afternoon but are limited to those who can’t drive or have health issues, according to the evacuation order.There is only one road out of Yellowknife that leads away from the encroaching fire.

And that route south passes through territory already scorched by the flames – and through the burned town of Enterprise, now all but destroyed.With closer areas facing an even greater threat or filling up with other evacuees, the 20,000 residents of Yellowknife – who account for just about half of the province’s total population – must travel far to secure shelter.There are only a few gas stations along the route. The closest one to Yellowknife is in Fort Providence, roughly 300 kilometres away.Yellowknife resident Bill Braden said he’s bringing an extra 40 litres of fuel so he can hopefully bypass that gas station.He said a family member told him the lineup stretched a kilometre in length and took several hours.On the side of the highway just south of the provincial border near Steen River, Alberta Wildfire staff set up a rest stop handing out bottled water and a Petro Canada tanker truck was set up as a makeshift gas station.The province said the transportation ministry organised fuel resources and Alberta Wildfire donated the crates of water.“As you know, during this record breaking wildfire season Alberta received support from across the country, and we are more than happy to help with the hard work happening in the NWT now,” the province