() – Hundreds of wildfires raging across parts of Canada’s Northwest Territories have prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders and declare a state of emergency as flames threaten the capital city of Yellowknife.
The state of emergency allows for more resources to help the more than 230 charred areas of active fires in the Northwest Territories, according to Shane Thompson, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
“We are in a crisis situation and our government is using every tool available to help,” Thompson said in a news release.
The mayor of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, also issued a local state of emergency followed by an evacuation order for some areas as the fires approached.
The towns of Ndilo, Dettah and Ingram Trail are also under evacuation orders, Northwest Territories officials said in a statement Wednesday. Those unable to leave those areas by road can register for evacuation flights that will begin Thursday, officials added.
“Residents living along Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle Business District are currently at the highest risk and should evacuate as soon as possible. Other residents have until noon on Friday, August 18, 2023 to evacuate,” officials said in the news release.
The new evacuation orders come as much of the South Slave region, including the town of Hay River, was placed under an evacuation order over the weekend. Roads from Hay River to the Alberta border and west to Yellowknife were also closed, town officials said in a Facebook post.
“The situation has changed rapidly. Strong winds have brought the fire within 10 km of the community. The fire is anticipated to reach Hay River tonight,” the Northwest Territories Fire Department said in a statement. A Facebook update this Wednesday night“Crews that were in the path of the fire are moving away for their own safety and redeploying to assist in other areas.”
An Alberta team has been deployed to the Hay River area to lay down fire retardant to help stop the flames from spreading, according to Northwest Territories Fire, a Canadian government agency.
“Sprinklers and structure guards are in place and turned on, other operations will continue as conditions permit,” the agency added.
Meanwhile, evacuees from South Slave were initially advised to go to a reception centre in Grande Prairie, but the Northwest Territories government has since diverted them to a new centre in St. Albert, Alberta.
As of Wednesday evening, a total of 236 fires were actively burning in the Northwest Territories, officials said.
Heavy smoke drifting into the southern U.S. from raging wildfires prompted an air quality alert from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Thursday and Friday.
“Heavy ground-level smoke from wildfires in Canada’s Northwest Territories is moving south across central Canada and into Minnesota on Wednesday,” the National Weather Service warned. “A strong cold front will bring this smoke across the state on Thursday.”
Smoke could reach the Minnesota-Canada border around midnight Thursday and then possibly move over the Twin Cities around noon and into southern Minnesota by 3 p.m. Thursday, the weather service said.
Air quality has the potential to reach the Purple or Very Unhealthy category for several hours in eastern Minnesota, the weather service said.
Authorities are urging sensitive groups, such as people with lung or heart disease, the elderly and children, to avoid prolonged or strenuous exertion, and the general public is told to limit outdoor activities.
“Smoke will linger across the eastern half of the state on Friday and fine particulate levels will remain high for most of the day,” the weather service said. “Winds will turn southerly Friday afternoon and smoke will begin to move out of the state and disperse. Air quality should improve below warning levels by the end of the day on Friday.”
In Canada, National Defence Minister Bill Blair on Tuesday mobilized the Canadian Armed Forces to provide firefighting personnel, airlift resources and logistical support to the Northwest Territories.
“We stand with the people of the Northwest Territories as they experience the worst fire season on record, and I am confident that our military personnel will do everything they can to assist their fellow Canadians,” Blair said in a statement. a statement.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was in communication with Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane on Wednesday.
“To the people of the Northwest Territories: we are here for you. We have mobilized members of the Canadian Armed Forces and will continue to provide the necessary resources. I spoke about that with Prime Minister Caroline Cochrane today, and reaffirmed our commitment to help however we can,” Trudeau said in a statement. a publication on social media.
– ’s Taylor Ward and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
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