Yellowknife Ghost Town, Approaching Wildfires

"Grocery stores aren't open. There's no services here in town. The smoke's going to get thick, so really encouraging folks [to] head out now."

"Please don't spread rumours. There's no looting in Yellowknife."

"RCMP are patrolling the neighbourhoods. I contacted them this morning. I saw them on my walk to work this morning."

"There is no looting. Your homes are safe. You've gotta lock up and head out of town."

Yellowknife mayor Rebecca Alty 

Rebecca Alty, Yellowknife's mayor, says there are still exit options for people who stayed behind in the N.W.T. capital. 'The fire is approaching, we're working hard to stop it but let's not get to a situation where we have to do that emergency evacuation,'   CBC News

"It's a ghost town. This is kind of the D-Day for the fire effort. If it's going to get bad, it's going to get bad today."

"It's kind of like having a pint at the end of the world [exhausted firefighters taking a break at one bar still open, following long shifts]."

"Our members [First Nations] know the land better than anyone else. We're confident they'll be safe out there [those residents who choose shelter in cabins or camps out on the land]."

Kieron Testart, Yellowknife

Fishers Stephanie Vaillancourt and Annika Olesen, seen here on Friday, have a plan to shelter in place as wildfires threaten Yellowknife. (Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters)

Yellowknife has become a ghost town, as wildfires loomed nearby while the territorial capital's mayor urged residents to put away their fears of looting, and leave while they still could. The city of 20,000 saw thousands leaving by air or road Friday while a noon deadline to leave approached. Its goal was to see that everyone could evacuate in an orderly manner before the fire at 15 kilometres distance from the outskirts of the city, advanced to cut off access. 

 

1,600 people will remain in the city, workers fighting the flames, hoping to save as much of the city as possible. 236 fires are burning in the territory, a wildfire situation that is critical.

According to officials, the roads would remain open while flights would continue past the deadline as long as both avenues remained safe. Once-busy streets in the city had emptied, stores and businesses shuttered. Yellowknife gas stations were still operating, those that still had fuel. A single grocery store and a pharmacy remained open for the time being. Some First Nations people have chosen to take shelter in place while most people were clearing out.

"Busy skies today", commented fire information officer Mike Westwick, as work battling the flames continued. Eleven air tankers flew overhead, another plane dropping fire retardant, while a ten-kilometre fire line had been dug, backed up by 20 kilometres of hose and a plethora of pumps. Fire fighting implements representing "the most extensive heavy water operation we've ever seen in the territory", commented Westwick.

 

People who were evacuated from Yellowknife due to an approaching wildfire are watching from places like Alberta to see what happens with the ongoing fires in the Northwest Territories.  CBC

Havoc was threatening, with winds picking up from the north and northeast being predicted for Friday and Saturday. Hoped-for rain failed to materialize overnight, in an already drought-stricken environment. "Both of those winds would push the flames in directions we don't want them to go. We've still got some really difficult days ahead. There's no denying that", commented Mike Westwick.

Sprinklers, water cannons and fireguards were set up Wednesday as evacuation orders were given late on Wednesday. The following day, about 1,500 people left on evacuation flights, in addition to commercial planes. More flights scheduled for Friday that could see roughly 1,800 additional people leave the city. Steady, orderly convoys of vehicles headed for evacuation points on the main highway out. 

A Thursday view of another wildfire burning to the northeast of Yellowknife near the Ingraham Trail. (N.W.T. Fire)

"I urge all residents under evacuation orders to please adhere to them as they are issued."

"These orders are never issued lightly and always consider our collective health and safety."

"You could be jeopardizing your safety and that of others."

North West Territories' environment and communities minister, Shane Thompson