More than 20,000 residents in Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories, are being forced to evacuate their homes. This is a result of the uncontrolled Behchoko/Yellowknife wildfire, which is raging less than 10 miles away from the city. This crisis has sparked panic as more than 230 active fires menacingly encroach upon other nearby communities.
The evacuation directive, issued by the municipal and community affairs minister, has spurred an exodus of Yellowknife and Ingraham Trail inhabitants, seeking refuge via car and plane. The First Nations populations residing in N’Dilo and Dettah are also included in this mandatory evacuation.
Authorities, driven by the urgency caused by the absence of rainfall, have specified that they must complete evacuation by noon on Friday. The inferno looms ominously and could potentially reach the vicinity by the weekend.
Providing a grim update, the government states, “These fires remain out of control.” The ferocity of the situation has escalated to a point where, as of Tuesday, the surrounding Yellowknife wildfire is visibly observable from space.
During the night, the government’s Department of Environment and Climate Change organized and directed air tankers to carry out aerial firefighting missions.
While firefighting brigades strive to extinguish hotspots, others valiantly safeguard cabins and other structures along Highway 3, the primary road westward from Yellowknife. Within the city limits, officials are diligently enacting protective measures, including activating sprinkler systems and creating firebreaks.
Heart-wrenching visuals capture the intensity of the blaze. Across various social media platforms, images and videos depict a bumper-to-bumper vehicle exodus as residents desperately bid for safety. Amidst the smoke-filled highways, vehicles brave the conditions, their paths flanked by smoldering trees.
Kimberly Benito shared her apprehension on Instagram, saying, “Hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.” In another post, she recounted her escape from Yellowknife, a harrowing journey that consumed an hour and a half.
Evacuation flights have been arranged for those who can’t leave by car. The focus of these flights is on accommodating individuals with compromised immune systems or heightened health vulnerabilities. Commencing at 1 p.m. today, these flights will only permit one carry-on item per passenger.
Officials discourage attempts to escape by boat to nearby islands. This is due to the progressive deterioration of air quality caused by the advancing fires.
Minister of Municipal Affairs, Shane Thompson, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. This measure facilitates acquiring and deploying essential resources in the ongoing battle against fires.
“In this critical situation, our government is employing all available means to assist,” stated Thompson in a press release on Tuesday.
Yellowknife, established as a gold mining settlement in 1934, roots itself in the ancestral land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. It later evolved into the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967. It is a cultural, economic, and governmental epicenter for the region. Renowned for its stunning Northern Lights displays, Yellowknife also embraced a resurgence in mining after discovering diamonds in 1991.
Subsequently, the city has witnessed the inception of three mines within short flying distance. In 2016, the De Beers Group revealed Gahcho Kué, the world’s largest new diamond mine. It is located approximately 175 miles northeast of Yellowknife, just below the Arctic Circle.
