Nearly 70 Percent of NWT’s Population Has Fled Due to Out-of-Control Wildfires

Evacuees from Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories, queue up to get gas at Big River Service in Ft. Providence, N.W.T., on Aug. 17, 2023. Bill Braden/The Canadian Press

One new fire has started in the Northwest Territories in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of active fires to 236 and forcing thousands of residents to flee Yellowknife.

Overall, 68 percent of N.W.T.’s population has left due to the fires, according to the federal government.

Cool, damp weather and about four millimetres of rain on Aug. 19 brought a slight reprieve, and fire crews have been focusing on the most critical areas. Fires were burning just 15 kilometres from Yellowknife on the morning of Aug. 20, leaving the city of 20,000 smoky and deserted.

Only a few thousand people in the northern capital are reportedly still in the vicinity, with about half of those being emergency workers. There were some reports of residents who did not want to leave their homes.

Fire crews were digging fuel breaks on the city’s western edge and installing sprinkler and water systems on Aug. 19, but officials expected that temperatures would rise the next day and strong winds would again increase the fires.

Fire information officer Mike Westwick said on Aug. 20 that fire crews expected Yellowknife would remain clear from the fire for the next two days.

Meanwhile in Hay River, the nearest fire was burning just eight kilometres away, with wind keeping the blaze at bay from the town.

The territory has published a live fire map, and according to officials, it is the worst fire season on record. Mapping data published by the Fire Information for Resource Management System U.S./Canada using data from NASA and the USDA Forest Service shows the extent of wildfires raging across the Northwest Territories and British Columbia.

Most of the fires affecting N.W.T. are between Fort Smith and Hay River, with out-of-control fires also burning in the most northern regions of Alberta in the High Level Forest Area and Fort McMurray Forest Area.

The N.W.T. government said in an Aug. 20 morning update that 9-1-1 services were continuing to operate even though operations had to move to an alternate facility outside the evacuation areas. Evacuation flights were still leaving Yellowknife on Aug. 19, being directed to Winnipeg. Previous flights of evacuees landed in Calgary and Edmonton.

The town of Forth Smith announced an extreme fire danger warning on Aug. 19 for Wood Buffalo National Park, stating there are 250 fire crew, 55 pieces of heavy equipment and 25 helicopters responding to the blaze in Wood Buffalo Complex.

Officials said crews will be focused on completing a continuous fire control line utilizing mechanical guards, sprinkler lines, and natural features running south of Highway 5 from Salt River to Fort Fitzgerald.

Evacuees from Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories, wake up to a bright morning sun at a free campsite provided by the community in High Level, Alta., Aug. 17, 2023. Bill Braden/The Canadian Press

Residents are being warned that is unsafe to return to Fort Smith and Fort Fitzgerald. Both towns have declared a state of local emergency and have issued evacuation orders for public safety. Highway 5 is also closed form Hay River to Fort Smith due to poor visibility and safety concerns caused by fire activity in the region.

Officials have reported that only critical infrastructure in the town of Fort Smith has power, running on an auxiliary system. Some cellphone service has been restored after suffering damage.

Fort Smith’s protective services division said cooler weather has bought fire suppression crews some time, but the winds are shifting and the weather is warming significantly. The fire was still active south of Fort Smith as of the early hours of Aug. 20, and officials warned that smoke plumes would “blow directly towards town over the coming days.”

“Smoke is moving back in and challenging conditions may be faced in town by responders,” said the service on Aug. 20. “All non-essential people in the community are urged to evacuate.”

Hay River was also evacuated with the town advising it would be weeks before residents could return due to fire risk and no services.

According to the RCMP, some of the fires burning near Yellowknife, one in Long Lake, were deliberately set and they have arrested individuals and laid arson charges.

The Canadian Armed Forces are supporting the territory with fire suppression efforts and RCAF Air support, according to Joint Task Force North.

Both Calgary and Edmonton are hosting evacuees from Yellowknife, with Edmonton reporting on Aug. 20 that the city has registered 3,088 people and 144 animals at the Expo Centre. Yellowknife evacuees are being offered temporary lodging, food services, clothing, pet day care, and health-care services.

On Aug. 18, 100 military personnel were flown into the area and another 100 arrived by road to assist in fire suppression efforts.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.