A massive wildfire is raging near the northern Canadian city of Yellowknife, with potentially devastating consequences for its 20,000 residents. The fire, burning some 17 kilometers away, is threatening to reach the city over the weekend, prompting an immediate evacuation order for Yellowknife and its surrounding towns and communities by noon on Friday
The blaze, one of 230 active wildfires in the Northwest Territories, has caused more than 168,000 people to evacuate throughout the region. Canadian Minister of Environment for the Northwest Territories, Shane Thompson, issued a warning on Wednesday, saying “the situation is getting worse” and “poses a real threat to the city.”
Canadian Armed Forces personnel have been assisting firefighters in the evacuation effort. Those most vulnerable have been prioritized to be flown out by military aircraft, while escorted convoys have been set up for those leaving the city by road, as the threat of limited visibility due to thick smoke in the fire zone increases.
Without rain, the risk of the wildfires causing permanent damage to the city of Yellowknife is likely to grow. Firefighters are doing their best to contain the flames, but this remains an unpredictable and challenging situation, with many lives at stake. According to Thomson, “the window of opportunity right now allows us to evacuate everyone safely.” Emergency services will be on standby in areas affected by the smoke.
Despite doing their best to contain the wildfires, Canadian officials are warning that the situation is only expected to worsen in the coming days.
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