Canada fires map: Where wildfires have spread in Yellowknife and the latest travel advice
Yellowknife #Yellowknife
Thousands of Canadians are rushing to beat an evacuation deadline as wildfires close in on one of the country’s largest northern cities.
The 20,000 people who live in Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories, have been urged to evacuate the city by noon on Friday (7pm BST) as a huge fire, one of hundreds in the region, creeps closer to the city.
Several thousand fled on Thursday, driving hundreds of miles to safety or waiting in long lines for emergency flights.
The fire is now about 10 miles from the north of Yellowknife and there is concern among officials that strong winds could blow the flames towards the only highway that leads away from the blaze.
A satellite image taken on Wednesday shows fires burning near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada (Photo: NASA Earth Observatory / AFP)
The 20,000 people who live in Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories, have been urged to evacuate the city on Friday (Photo: NASA Earth Observatory / AFP)
Firefighters are battling 236 active fires across the region, where authorities have declared a territory-wide state of emergency. More than 1,000 fires are burning across Canada, more than half of them out of control.
“We’re all tired of the word unprecedented, yet there is no other way to describe this situation in the Northwest Territories,” Caroline Cochrane, premier of the Northwest Territories, said on Wednesday night.
![In this August 16, 2023 image provided by Sylvia Webster, a firefighting plane aids in the fight against wildfires raging near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Thousands ordered to flee wildfires advancing on one of the largest cities in Canada's far north crammed into a local airport on August 17, 2023, to board emergency evacuation flights, as convoys snaked south to safety on the only open highway. The order late on August 16, 2023, to evacuate Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories marked the latest chapter of a terrible summer for wildfires in Canada, with tens of thousands of people forced to leave their homes and vast swathes of land scorched. (Photo by Sylvia WEBSTER / UGC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE MANDATORY CREDIT ?? AFP PHOTO / Sylvia WEBSTER" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS [ NO ARCHIVE ] (Photo by SYLVIA WEBSTER/UGC/AFP via Getty Images)](https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SEI_167947310.jpg?w=760)
A firefighting plane aids in the fight against wildfires raging near the city (Photo: Sylvia Webster/ AFP)
The Canadian military have been called in to help with firefighting and airlifting in the Northwest Territories, where more than 21,000 square kilometres of land have been burned in wildfires.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has deployed planes and helicopters to support regional emergency crews.
The evacuation order issued on Wednesday applies to Yellowknife and the neighbouring First Nations communities of Ndilo and Dettah.
British nationals who are in or near areas of Canada affected by wildfires have been warned to be vigilant and check the status of the wildfires in the Northwest Territories.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has urged Britons to:
The FCDO adds: “There are currently several wildfires across the Northwest Territories, due to which the territory has declared a territory-wide state of emergency.
“Evacuation orders have been issued in certain areas, including in Yellowknife, the Territory’s capital. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.”
Justin Trudeau, the country’s Prime Minister, convened an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers and senior emergency response officials to discuss the crisis on Thursday.
Canada is enduring its worst fire season on record, with more than 5,700 fires burning more than 137,000 square kilometres (53,000 square miles) this year from one end of Canada to the other, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
![This screengrab from a video provided by Jordan Straker shows vehicles driving on the freeway as people evacuate from Yellowkife, Northwest Territories, Canada, on August 16, 2023. Thousands ordered to flee wildfires advancing on one of the largest cities in Canada's far north crammed into a local airport on August 17, 2023, to board emergency evacuation flights, as convoys snaked south to safety on the only open highway. The order late on August 16, 2023, to evacuate Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories marked the latest chapter of a terrible summer for wildfires in Canada, with tens of thousands of people forced to leave their homes and vast swathes of land scorched. (Photo by Jordan Straker / UGC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE MANDATORY CREDIT ?? AFP PHOTO / Jordan Straker ?? - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS [ NO ARCHIVE ] (Photo by JORDAN STRAKER/UGC/AFP via Getty Images)](https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SEI_167931959.jpg?w=760)
A screengrab from a video shows vehicles on the highway as people flee Yellowknife (Photo: Jordan Straker / UGC / AFP) ![This screengrab from a video provided by Jordan Straker shows vehicles driving on the freeway as people evacuate from Yellowkife, Northwest Territories, Canada, on August 16, 2023. Thousands ordered to flee wildfires advancing on one of the largest cities in Canada's far north crammed into a local airport on August 17, 2023, to board emergency evacuation flights, as convoys snaked south to safety on the only open highway. The order late on August 16, 2023, to evacuate Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories marked the latest chapter of a terrible summer for wildfires in Canada, with tens of thousands of people forced to leave their homes and vast swathes of land scorched. (Photo by Jordan Straker / UGC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE MANDATORY CREDIT ?? AFP PHOTO / Jordan Straker ?? - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS [ NO ARCHIVE ] (Photo by JORDAN STRAKER/UGC/AFP via Getty Images)](https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SEI_167931865.jpg?w=760)
A huge fire, one of hundreds in the region, is creeping closer to the city (Photo: Jordan Straker / UGC / AFP)
Tanisha Edison, who is due to have a baby in four days, flees with her daughter to an evacuee centre in Alberta (Photo: Jason Franson /The Canadian Press via AP)
Ten planes left Yellowknife on Thursday with 1,500 passengers, according to Jennifer Young, director of corporate affairs for the Northwest Territories’ Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, adding that they hope to have 22 flights leave on Friday with 1,800 more passengers.
“I want to be clear that the city is not in immediate danger and there’s a safe window for residents to leave the city by road and by air,” said Shane Thompson, a government minister for the Territories.
“Without rain, it is possible [the fire] will reach the city outskirts by the weekend.”
Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and fire chief in Red Deer, Alberta, said the evacuation of Yellowknife was by far the largest this year.
“It’s one of those events where you need to get people out sooner rather than later,” because fire could block the only escape route before reaching the community, he said.