A massive fire in the western Canadian province of British Columbia prompted more evacuation orders early Friday as firefighting teams struggled to quickly move residents of the remote northern city of Yellowknife to safety from the flames.
Authorities also declared a state of emergency early Friday morning in Kelowna, a 4-hour drive from Vancouver with a population of about 150,000.
In a statement Friday, the Kelowna City Council said:
Residents affected by an evacuation alert are advised to be prepared to leave their homes at any moment. Residents should prepare to be away from their homes for an extended period of time.
Evacuation orders were issued after blazes discovered on Tuesday skipped Okanagan Lake and ignited a sudden wildfire in Kelowna.
Evacuation of the city of Yellowknife
In Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, fire brigades and water sprayers are trying to save the town of about 20,000 from a huge bushfire that prompted an evacuation order for all residents.
Authorities said:
About 10 evacuation planes took about 1,500 people out of the city on Thursday.
Northwest Territories officials said Friday:
About 19,000 people left Yellowknife in less than 48 hours. About 15,000 came out in convoys. 3,800 left on emergency flights. Authorities said about 2,600 people remained in the city, 1,000 of them essential workers.
“I’ve described today as another marathon,” said Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Atty. “It’s draining and, unfortunately, it hasn’t let up yet,” according to the Associated Press.
Shane Thompson, the province’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said the bushfires remain critical and non-emergency personnel who remain put themselves and others at risk.
The streets in Yellowknife are almost empty and shops are closed. “It’s a ghost town,” said Kieron Testart, who went door to door checking in on people.
A grocery store and pharmacy remained open Friday but are expected to be closed. The last gas station is still running in the afternoon.
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2023-08-19 06:42:16
