More than 20 evacuation flights are expected to take place out of Yellowknife on Friday, as wildfires continue to threaten the city. The massive wildfire in Canada’s western province of British Columbia has also prompted more evacuation orders in Kelowna, British Columbia. The city of Kelowna, which has a population of about 150,000, declared a state of emergency early on Friday, and residents were advised to be ready to leave their homes at a moment’s notice. The fires in Kelowna started on Tuesday and have spread rapidly, sparking spot wildfires in the area.
Meanwhile, the massive blaze threatening Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories, is slowly making progress towards the outskirts of the city. Changing winds could bring the fire closer to the city by the weekend. Firefighters are working hard to slow the progression of the fire by creating fire breaks, setting up sprinkler systems, and potentially setting deliberate fires to deprive the wildfire of fuel to spread. As of now, the only highway out of Yellowknife is still open, although fires are burning on either side of it and smoke is obscuring the view.
The evacuation efforts in Yellowknife have been underway since Wednesday, with around 1,500 people being airlifted out of the city on Thursday. On Friday, around 22 more evacuation flights are scheduled to depart. In addition to the flights, many people are also leaving the city by road. However, there are still concerns about the number of people remaining in Yellowknife and the stress they are experiencing.
The severity of this year’s wildfire season in Canada is evident with more than 1,000 active fires burning across the country. New data released on Friday revealed that there were 236 active fires in the Northwest Territories alone. Experts say that climate change has worsened the wildfire problem, with drought and abnormally dry conditions contributing to the number and intensity of fires. The Northwest Territories is looking to evacuate around 65% of its population, highlighting the extent of the fire risk and disruption.
As the number of evacuees from Yellowknife increases, cities such as Grande Prairie and St. Albert have reached their full capacities and are redirecting arriving evacuees to a new center in Leduc, south of Edmonton. The impact of these evacuations on families is evident, with many uncertain about the whereabouts of their loved ones and focused on getting to safety. The threat of dry lightning in British Columbia has further intensified the wildfire situation in the province, with officials warning residents to prepare for extreme fire conditions in the next 24 to 48 hours.
The severity and scale of the wildfires in Western Canada highlight the urgent need for action to address climate change and mitigate its impact on worsening natural disasters.