ReutersCars on the only highway to and from the city in the sparsely populated Canadian territory
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 05:53
The Canadian provincial capital of Yellowknife is being evacuated because of the huge wildfires that have moved further and further towards the city in recent days. This was announced by Secretary of Environment and Climate Change of the Northwest Territories Thompson.
Concerns about the city of 20,000 inhabitants have quickly increased in recent days. It was already estimated that it had to rain soon, otherwise the flames would reach Yellowknife by the weekend. The fires are still about 17 kilometers from the only city in the sparsely populated province.
Although the city is not in immediate danger, according to Thompson, it is necessary to evacuate in phases now, so that everyone can get away safely by car or plane. Residents of parts of the city most at risk should be the first to leave. In the course of the day, the intention is that the rest of the inhabitants of Yellowknife also leave their homes. That group has until Friday, it is estimated.
Emergency
Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record this year. More than 1,000 fires are now raging across the country, 230 of them in the Northwest Territories. Thousands of people in this sparsely populated area of the Arctic Circle have already been evacuated and the village of Enterprise, near the border with the Alberta province, was almost completely reduced to ashes last weekend. A state of emergency is now in effect throughout the Northwest Territories.
The fires now pose a real threat to the city CBC the minister. A few days ago, the mayor of Yellowknife had remarkably said that there was no danger to the city and that there was no need to announce an evacuation plan.
According to Thompson, the highway from Yellowknife to Alberta is safe to use. Residents are advised to fill up well before they leave, although the petrol pumps on the road remain open and tow trucks are ready for people with car trouble. Escorts are also arranged through areas with very poor visibility due to all the smoke. People without a car must report to a central point.
‘Really leave now’
“We are now in the opportunity to safely evacuate everyone. It is really necessary to go now,” he urged the residents. According to him, the air quality and the roads are still good enough for the evacuation.
Caroline Cochrane, the premier of the Northwest Territories, calls the current situation “unprecedent”. “There’s no other way to describe it.” She, too, urges the residents of Yellowknife to leave now.
2023-08-17 03:53:21
#Evacuation #order #Canadian #city #threatened #wildfires
