Advertisement.
Yellowknife’s 20,000-plus residents were ordered to leave as a wildfire bears down from the west – a stunning development that officials had dismissed for months.
On this page, we tracked developments throughout Wednesday with live updates.
Ripping up the previous plan to shelter in the community, territorial and municipal officials said on Wednesday evening that everyone had until noon on Friday to leave Yellowknife, and some had just hours.
People on the western fringes of Yellowknife, in Dettah and on the Ingraham Trail were told to leave their homes on Wednesday night.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Highway 3 to Alberta and BC is open and is expected to be held open as long as possible through Thursday and into Friday. Aircraft will begin arriving on Thursday.
The evacuation is easily the biggest rescue operation in the territory’s history and will be one of the biggest ever undertaken by Canada, given Yellowknife’s comparatively isolated location.
Fire ZF015, west of Yellowknife, could come as close as 11 kilometres away from the city’s western edge by the end of Wednesday, earlier forecasts stated. But NWT Fire now thinks it could push past the city to the Ingraham Trail in the days ahead.
Meanwhile, a fire south of Hay River was said to be growing in intensity and likely to reach the town by the end of the day.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
The forecast on Wednesday had been for more westerly wind, a problem particularly for Yellowknife and for Fort Smith, where efforts continue to keep out a wildfire four kilometres from the town.
Five communities are currently under evacuation orders – Fort Smith, Kátł’odeeche First Nation, Hay River, Enterprise and Jean Marie River.
Barely anyone is left in Fort Smith, local officials have reported, whereas in Hay River on Monday, Mayor Kandis Jameson said hundreds of people remained in the community and pleaded for them to leave, stressing that the situation was far worse than when the town evacuated over a separate wildfire earlier in the summer.
Hay River, Fort Smith and neighbouring communities have been affected for days by a sweeping communications blackout caused by suspected wildfire damage to fibre lines, triggering a loss of internet, cell and land lines. Communities are staying in touch with the outside world via the likes of satellite internet.
The smaller community of Enterprise, south of Hay River, was “90-percent gone,” its mayor told CBC, after a wildfire swept through.
Kakisa, Behchokǫ̀, and home and cabin owners on River Lake and the north shores of Prelude Lake and Prosperous Lake remain on evacuation alert.
The NWT declared a territory-wide state of emergency on Tuesday to allow it to get any needed resources to deal with the wildfire situation on short notice.
Contributing reporters were Emily Blake, Ollie Williams, Sarah Pruys, Aastha Sethi, Megan Miskiman and Emma Stuart-Kiss.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Updates appeared below, the most recent first. All times are in MT.
23:25 – I’m going to recharge for a bit. Good luck to our staff and all Yellowknife residents who are working through the night on getting themselves to safety. Back at 6am to help in any way we can.
23:21 – Our reporter Megan now has this evacuee supports page which will grow exponentially tomorrow. Email us anything we’re missing: accommodation, food, supplies, activities, anything that helps.
23:09 – This live page will close down for the night in a few minutes, once our evacuee supports page is up. I will be back at 6am.
Tomorrow is going to be incredibly busy and confusing but the aim of this page will be to provide as many answers as we can, alongside regular travel and fire updates for all communities.
23:04 – This message arrived: “Just an anonymous suggestion for people who can’t leave right now but need to burn off some nervous energy: go through your home and property and take photos of everything, clear enough that you can itemize what you own in case you need it for insurance.”
Alternatively, if you’re in a hurry, swing through with a video. I did a three-minute video on the way out the door this morning. Better than nothing.
23:02 – Facebook groups for checking on others and marking yourself safe: NWT Wildfires Safety Check and this new one, YK and area evacuation information and check in.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
22:55 – Re concern about Highway 1 south of Enterprise, I’ve just read a bunch of accounts from people who say it was fine in the past few hours. Dark, smoky, maybe some flame (I realize this sentence is getting worse as it goes on) but passable.
22:49 – The GNWT has opened a direct line for me to get your questions answered so I am working through a big backlog of those right now. Do not send more unless it’s absolutely critical and there is no sign of an answer anywhere. (I realize that’s still… probably a lot of questions.)
22:47 – Earlier tonight from Mikey McBryan, Buffalo Airways: “Stay strong Yellowknife and Hay River, we are doing absolutely everything we can. The whole fleet is airborne fighting.”
22:46 – Highway 3 is CLOSED NORTHBOUND from Behchokǫ̀ into Yellowknife. Essential traffic will be allowed but nothing else. It is, obviously, open southbound.
I know there’s concern about the stretch of Highway 1 south of Enterprise, too.
22:39 – Given the reports of long delays on the highway, please bring masks! N95s if you have them. The smoke out there earlier was really bad, even by recent Yellowknife standards, and you don’t want to sit in it without any protection at all. Even with a mask it wasn’t pleasant.
22:34 – New from Air Canada:
“Air Canada has just added two additional flights from Yellowknife to Vancouver and to Calgary to depart on Thursday. We continue to monitor this situation closely and we remain in touch with the NWT Government to provide support. The additional flights are available for booking online.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
22:33 – We are creating a dedicated page with all supports for Yellowknife evacuees that we can find. (For the South Slave, it was manageable enough in the live text, but the Yellowknife situation is going to get very complex very fast.)
22:30 – To donate to help NWT evacuees, visit United Way NWT.
22:28 – This info is straight from the province of Alberta, you can trust it. If you are heading to Alberta by road, Alberta wants you to arrange your own accommodation if you can. If you need supports and accommodation as you can’t arrange your own, head to these communities:
- Valleyview: Memorial Hall, 4808 50 St
- Fox Creek: Fox Creek Hall, 200 1 St
- Red Deer: GH Dawe Community Centre, 6175 67 St
All of those open at noon on Thursday. Alberta is working on more host communities.
If you end up on a plane in the airlift tomorrow, the only Alberta destination will be Calgary. I do not know if there will be destinations in other provinces, but Alberta’s only directing airlift evacuees to Calgary.
“No government supports will be available to Yellowknife evacuees outside of these locations,” the province states.
22:24 – Stand by for important guidance if you’re heading to Alberta.
22:23 – Harjit Sajjan, minister of emergency preparedness, just now: “To everyone who has been displaced by the fires, including most recently in Yellowknife, know that the Government of Canada stands with you. I’ve spoken with Minister Thompson and offered any additional support that may be needed.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
22:22 – Be prepared for long lineups on the road, I already have reports of those. Thousands of people are doing the same thing, it is not going to be a swift shot south. Big River reports very long lines (this being the main gas station between Yellowknife and Alberta) but I’m told by Linda at Big River that various levels of government have promised it will not run out of gas.
Only in the NWT have I found a gas station so central to a territory’s infrastructure. Big River functioning is extraordinarily important here.
22:18 – Looking at NWT Fire’s evening update for the Yellowknife fires, the reason for calling the evacuation now is clear: the fire west of Yellowknife actually did very little today, it only pushed east by a kilometre. But the worry is what it could do on Friday or beyond, coupled with the effect of the same Friday-or-beyond weather on other fires near the Ingraham Trail and Dettah. Hence the obvious window to try to get people out.
If the weather is unkind, ZF015 could reach Yellowknife by the weekend, ZF011 could threaten the entire Ingraham Trail by Friday, and that has implications for Dettah, which lies off the Ingraham Trail.
(If you’re down south, the Ingraham Trail is a highway leading north of Yellowknife to… uh, a lake that maybe 20 people have cabins on. And diamond mines in winter.)
22:10 – I just had a really good call with a GNWT employee who is working on big lists of important questions and is going to feed answers to me the moment they have them. I am gonna keep this going till 11pm tonight, then I’ll be back at 6am.
22:06 – HAY RIVER GOOD NEWS. The fire has stalled 10 km south of the town. NWT Fire update.
22:05 – There are Ingraham Trail residents writing in who got no alert on their phone (if you’re not from around there, cell service is sketchy) and are wondering if they’re being evacuated or not.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
To be very clear, it is anywhere along the Ingraham Trail. Anywhere. Go, and go now.
22:02 – Not that you care but the legislature has postponed its sitting. God knows till when, theoretically we have an election in six weeks.
21:37 – Everything I own is on three percent battery, me included. If you feel the same way right now, you’re heading out in the company of hundreds (thousands!) of others who are right there with you. Doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll feel any better but there is a collective of people around you who will have your back as you prep and leave. Yellowknife does that really well.
21:29 – Things that are important but can be figured out later if you’re able to drive out:
- “Where is the evacuation host community?” There isn’t one yet, all you need to do is get west of the fire and you’re away from immediate harm. What comes after that you can worry about then.
- “Who’s reimbursing my costs?” You’ll get financial help but you gotta be alive for it so do what you can to get away from the fire. We’ll bring you financial assistance information as it rolls out.
- “How do I register as an evacuee?” Become one first and then we’ll talk. The GNWT website seems to be down for some people tonight so relegate that issue, get going.
21:20 – I was about to say don’t actually come to Fort Simpson, go to one of the official evacuation host communities. But then I read the evacuation order and there are none. So you’re totally on your own, go wherever seems best until we get further advice.
21:18 – HIGHWAYS UPDATE: The board is green, if you are fuelled up and ready to go, go. Clear to Alberta and BC. Heck, come to Fort Simpson. Shop local.
(In the NWT, 630 km is local. There is precisely one intersection at which you need to make a turn during that drive.)
21:11 – Someone reported they couldn’t access the GNWT’s evacuation order document. It still seems OK for me but just in case, we now host our own version too. If you couldn’t get the GNWT one, try that link. Exactly the same document, just being hosted somewhere else.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
21:08 – Speaking of that John Vaillant article – the “There are parallels between Yellowknife and Fort McMurray” one – I would be interested to hear how that article impacted people’s thinking about evacuation over the past day.
Realizing that evacuation takes precedence over journalists with online polls, here’s a one-question online poll about it.
21:03 – Sorry, brief delay while we finalize our own team’s evacuation plans. I am in Fort Simpson, having left Yellowknife at 5am (my own article scared me into leaving), and this is essentially Cabin Radio field headquarters for the foreseeable.
20:46 – Asked by me on Monday if we had done any airlift planning, Yellowknife’s city manager said: “Shelter in place, shelter in community. It would have to be something that would be a massive kind of incident for anything beyond that, and I think our geography works in our favour.”
20:35 – By the way, no, nobody is charging you for an evacuation flight. I know Yellowknifers are used to some crazy flight costs, but not that one.
20:33 – FOUND IT. The mayor shared it on Facebook 15 minutes ago. HERE IS THE DOCUMENT WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING.
20:30 – It’s an hour since they announced the evacuation order. Haven’t seen a phone alert yet, haven’t seen any written explanation of the “phased evacuation.” Again, you keep doing what you’re doing: please assume that the key characteristic in this evacuation is now your level-headedness. I would just get going. Once you’re west of the fire, the big danger has gone. Heck, I was ready to just lie down outside Edzo this morning and call it a day.
20:27 – Great questions around how Yellowknife shutting down will affect supply chains to regions like the Sahtu. No answers. First thing tomorrow, when we have a full deck of reporters, we’ll go at all these questions.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
20:19 – Questions coming in that I can answer (not necessarily satisfactorily):
“What the heck is happening to my commercial flight tomorrow or Friday?” We haven’t been given any information, this is a priority for me to figure out.
“Who’s protecting our stuff when we go?” In other communities, RCMP have immediately swung into action on this front.
20:18 – Question in the press conference: how many people are still in Hay River with the fire bearing down on the town? Answer: “We’re trying to get a plane into Hay River, there are an estimated 30 people that want to leave.”
20:11 – Good update in from Fort Smith. Headline: “The evacuation of remaining citizens continues to be a priority. Aircraft bringing in additional resources are being offered to people remaining in the community as a route out.”
In the press conference, the GNWT says it doesn’t know the detail of what’s happening to commercial flights in Yellowknife tomorrow and Friday. I will find out.
20:09 – To everybody who already got out, well done for helping the situation for all involved. I realize many, many people had and continue to have very good reasons for not being able to do so, but those people who realized they had the means and got out have each helped this scenario a tiny bit.
20:06 – OK, this live page now becomes less about the press conference and more about getting you out. What do you need to know? I’ll go get you answers, tell me.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Hay River, we have assigned two reporters to watch your town tonight and get whatever news we can. You are not forgotten here, ditto Fort Smith, Jean Marie River, KFN and of course, Enterprise.
20:02 – I have set up this basic report with the few details we have. The moment I have proper information you can use, I’ll post it.
Again, in the absence of better guidance, it’s an evacuation order. Don’t wait to be told any more. If you’re able to get yourself out, get going as soon as you feel ready to go. You’ll be doing the system a favour and more importantly doing yourself and your loved ones a favour.
20:00 – What a great and powerfully worded question from CBC’s Luke Carroll: Why, on such a pivotal day, was no information provided to the public all day today?
The minister is answering – he’s saying they needed to get everything figured out, basically – but I think if you asked John Vaillant, who warned of something almost exactly like this, he’d say the existing plan just did not account for a modern wildfire.
19:53 – To be clear, you do not need to keep watching this press conference if you’re still in Yellowknife. The important part has been and gone. Evacuation order.
19:52 – Regretfully, we’re into the portion where they show us all the things they’re trying to do to stop our city burning down.
19:49 – “By Friday, there is a possibility that without rain, the fire could reach the Ingraham Trail. This is a very serious situation,” says Mike Westwick. That’s the fire west of Yellowknife reaching the Ingraham Trail, which is indeed bloody serious.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
19:46 – They’re sending an evacuation order to your cell phone AFTER the press conference. I am still searching for written materials.
19:45 – This is me speaking, not them: don’t panic, you’ve known this was a possibility for days, help each other out and get on the road when you can. I did the drive today on an hour’s sleep and it was alright. You’re going to be OK.
19:45 – Flights out will begin tomorrow and continue until everyone is evacuated.
19:45 – OK so stand by for this to change once I get a written copy. The mayor says this is being called now so people can drive while the highway is open.
19:43 – Why don’t we have a written copy of this? There is a torrent of information here, stand by.
19:41 – FULL EVACUATION ORDER. Go by Friday at noon. Western areas of Yellowknife, plus people in Dettah or along Ingraham Trail, go tonight. If that’s you, get going.
19:37 – There are a lot of government departments on this press conference, which usually only happens if a lot of government departments are simultaneously going to have to do something.
19:35 – Mayor of Yellowknife casually tossing Global under a bus there. (Good job there’s nothing we need to get to quickly at this news conference.)
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
19:35 – Off we go. About 80 reporters aren’t on mute.
19:34 – Hay River evacuees across Canada, we’re staying with fire updates there this evening too. I know that’s a very scary situation even if you’re safely out.
19:31 – It hasn’t started yet. Highway update in the interim: you are good to go Yellowknife to AB or BC according to all info I have. Godspeed if you’re setting off.
19:28 – Aaaaand now it’s me again, Ollie. Thanks for that wild ride there, Emily. Right then, Emily’s heading into the GNWT press conference, I’ll live text it, and you can watch it.
19:04 – Handing back to Emily for a little while before the delayed press conference at 7:30.
18:55 – Thanks Sam for this recap of the ride down Highway 3 out of Yellowknife (and through, or past, a wildfire) just now:
“Lots of traffic, low visibility through some parts. Able to maintain 80-90 km/h most of the way. Still active fires along the highway but from Stagg River on, conditions improved greatly.”
18:50 – Big River at 3pm (thanks, Brad, for the shot).
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
As of five hours ago, Big River said it had gas and gave no indication of running out, but they’re frowning on filling up multiple jerry cans.
18:46 – Speaking of daunting, Emily back in Yellowknife reports the number of aircraft overhead right now definitely gets the attention.
18:43 – Hearing conditions around Enterprise are very smoky and a little daunting right now but Highway 1 to the border remains open.
18:40 – More on the threat to Hay River tonight.
I’m trying to establish what if any reporting resource we have to stay on that.
18:30 – NWT Fire says the fire south of Hay River is now expected to reach the town this evening.
“The situation has changed quickly. Strong winds have blown the fire within 10 km of the community. It is anticipated the fire will reach Hay River this evening,” is the new update 10 minutes ago.
“Crews that were in the path of the fire are pulling off for their own safety and are re-positioning to assist in other areas. A Quick Strike team from Alberta has been deployed, and they are laying fire retardant down to try to stop the spread. Sprinklers and structure protections are in place and turned on, other operations will continue work when conditions allow.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
18:26 – The GNWT has delayed tonight’s briefing until 7:30pm. I know, me neither.
18:24 – OK, decent internet acquired ready for the 7pm press conference. I cannot lie, the mission here is to get us through that press conference, give you the most important information, and then probably scale things back to vital updates only while our staff either continue making their own safety arrangements or continue relocations that have already begun. (Or sleep.)
18:05 – From the Yellowknives Dene First Nation: “Community update meeting in Dettah at Chief Drygeese Hall tonight to discuss the state of emergency at 7pm.”
18:03 – First Nations Bank of Canada in Yellowknife confirms it has also closed.
18:03 – I’d like to see the actual transcript of that call please.
18:02 – This from the Prime Minister’s office in the past hour:
“Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Caroline Cochrane. Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Cochrane discussed the current wildfire situation, including the territorial state of emergency, the threat to those in Yellowknife, and the evacuation orders in place for Fort Smith, Enterprise, Jean Marie River, Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, and the surrounding area.
“Currently, there are over 230 wildfires burning in the Northwest Territories, and thousands of residents have fled their homes while more than 20,000 square kilometres have burned.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“The two leaders also discussed what the Government of Canada is doing to address the immediate needs of the Northwest Territories and reviewed areas of federal support, including the provision of Canadian Armed Forces personnel, aircraft, logistics, planning and coordination, and other resources.
“The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to provide ongoing assistance to the territory and affected communities. Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Cochrane agreed to remain in close contact as the wildfire situation in the Northwest Territories develops.”
17:59 – The GNWT press conference is set for 7pm. I assume CBC will stream it. I definitely don’t have the resources now, even if it was theoretically possible when in Yellowknife yesterday. Live text updates of important info here.
17:55 – Sorry, I know that was a long gap. Moving pets to safety in our new accommodation in Fort Simpson (thanks, Lady Slipper Lodge!). We’re all safe. Three of our staff are in Peace River, I think. Four and two interns still in Yellowknife. One somewhere else in Alberta, I forget. Me over here.
17:21 – Urgent message in Hay River: do not use the highway south, it is not safe. Get to the airport.
(That’s Highway 2. This doesn’t apply if you’re using Highway 1 south of Highway 2.)
17:17 – The city says it has handed over the lead on “emergency measures” in Yellowknife to the GNWT given the current territorial state of emergency. The practical impact of that is big announcements will come from the GNWT now, if I read this correctly.
17:07 – From Emily: The senior administrator of Enterprise says around 80 percent of structures in the hamlet have been levelled by a wildfire. “We will get through this. We are a strong, resilient community,” said Blair Porter. Read the full report.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
16:59 – Am told not every aircraft is shown on that map. (Before everyone becomes an instant air tanker expert and demands to know why they’re over there not over here.)
16:56 – Other things you can do while refreshing this page: follow the air tankers and fire boss aircraft on FlightRadar.
16:53 – Now reporting from a ferry on this very longest of long days. In a domestic argument about whether we turn the vehicle engine off because it’ll kill Starlink. I won. Take that, rules.
16:50 – “The fire south of Hay River is increasing in intensity and progressing northward. All persons should go to the Hay River Airport and await further instructions,” the town just wrote.
16:35 – I am very conscious of overstepping a mark but if you are refreshing this page like crazy because you expect the GNWT and city to shortly tell you to evacuate, can I suggest a solution: go and act as though that’s already happened, because it may save you time later. No mad haste needed, check in with me every half an hour still, but go pop things in the car that can afford to live in the car for now. That kind of thing. Good use of time in case an evacuation order does emerge.
(Not that I don’t want you reading. Thank you, everyone, for being here and relying on us.)
16:32 – More on Fort Smith. NWT Fire says the wildfire is four kilometres away from the town (no large shift lately). Lots of fire defence work and hot-spot extinguishing. Weather moderate, winds to 30 km/h gusts. Scattered showers, risk of lightning.
16:26 – From Department of Infrastructure by email to me right now, asked if anything is obstructing road travel at the moment: “Highway 3 and Highway 1 are open. Fuelling stops along the way are available in Fort Providence at Big River and in Meander River.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
16:18 – From Parks Canada to Fort Smith residents:
“We want to thank everyone who has taken the difficult step to leave their homes. We also want you to know how important it is that you and your families remain in the safe places that have been provided for you. The entire Fort Smith area remains under an evacuation order until further notice. Knowing you and your families are out of harm’s way allows us to direct our focus and efforts to protecting the communities, homes and cabins that mean so much to you.
“We appreciate your desire to return home is very strong. and the word that rain had recently fallen in Fort Smith may have raised hopes. But please be aware that the current crisis has not passed and the situation remains critical, not just in the Fort Smith area but throughout the South Slave Region. Leaving the way clear for first responders to do their work is the best way to ensure that a return home is possible and comes that much sooner.”
Big thanks Dianna Korol who’s helping me get the Smith latest to you.
16:09 – The power corp has closed its Yellowknife office. You get the general idea at this point.
16:06 – I don’t know if it’s a GNWT issue or a Starlink-wedged-between-kibble-bags issue (this update brought to you by Acana Grasslands, 70% quality animal ingredients) but I can’t get the highway conditions page to load. This has been an ongoing thing, I know. All the information I have suggests you have a straight shot from Yellowknife to Alberta or BC, with 24-hour fuel now at Big River.
16:00 – Re my recent post about mine workers expressing concern, De Beers immediately got in touch to say if you need to ask something or query something at Gahcho Kué, email info.canada@debeersgroup.com or hrconnect@debeersgroup.com.
15:55 – Please don’t go to the dump, the city closed it at 2:30. I realize this creates a fairly big issue for people trying to dump firesmart waste. I am scared to suggest solutions off the cuff for fear of making that worse.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
15:52 – Lots and lots of questions from mine staff and their families about things like mine policies, flights – I have no answers, I’m sorry, we will do our best to try though.
15:49 – From Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty within the past hour: “Extensive progress has been made by the city working with all the contractors and military who have stepped up to construct the fire breaks, actively remove vegetation and establish the sprinkler lines.”
Cole’s notes: Fire break west of Sand Pits almost done, being widened to 100 metres or more. Sewage Lagoon Road cleared. Sprinklers being tested and adjusted.
Fire break along Deh Cho Boulevard and Engle “more than half completed.” Fire retardant line being put down to the west.
The reason you got kicked out of the pool at 2:30pm as city facilities closed is “as staff are working on defence measures and evacuation preparedness.” (Come on, nobody actually likes swimming anyway.)
15:46 – If contemplating the drive out of Yellowknife, take N95 masks if you have them. I needed one for the drive earlier. It was not pleasant, and conditions have probably shifted since.
15:42 – I’m writing these updates while my partner drives us down the highway, which is the most fraught journalism I’ve done in my life. I have a Starlink dish in the back of the truck wedged between bags of dog food.
15:41 – Latest from Hay River via the town: fire is 16 km away. “Today, warm, dry conditions will increase fire activity. Strong winds are in the forecast for tomorrow, with the chance of precipitation.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Think that’s basically a repeat of earlier but it’s what we’ve got. Think there’s an update planned in the early evening. Got an extra update of your own? Photos? Video? Email us.
15:39 – We’ve had a ton of requests from other media organizations, the answer is no for the time being, for what I know are understandable reasons.
15:39 – This from Emily, who’s no longer helming this live page but is extending her incredible work: NWT SPCA and Vets without Borders have secured a downtown location for a temporary shelter for displaced dogs. More details coming. Any volunteers willing to help set up should reach out to the SPCA at ykwildfires@nwtspca.com. There will be limited capacity so in the case of an evacuation, people are encouraged to camp with their pets or make arrangements with family and friends to decrease the amount of dogs needing to be sheltered.
15:37 – I had a message a little earlier that RBC, CIBC and Scotiabank are all closed till further notice, by the way. That’s from a senior banking rep whose word I trust, if that saves you a trip.
15:34 – This is Ollie taking over from Emily. I’m in a moving vehicle heading for Fort Simpson and by god we’re going to all get through this. Thanks, Emily, for an incredible shift today, allowing colleagues to reach safety elsewhere.
So, can I strongly suggest people rush to completion their emergency plans?
I will have every single thing you need to know from now till whenever you’re safe. And South Slave we have not forgotten you, any update we can get coming your way.
15:26 – I spoke with Blair Porter, senior administrative officer from Enterprise this afternoon. He said most evacuees from the community are currently in Peace River. At latest assessment, he said around 80 per cent of structures in the hamlet have been levelled by fire. Approximately 16 buildings are left.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“We want to thank everyone for the well wishes. We keep getting messages from all across the country,” he said. “We will get through this. We are a strong, resilient community.”
15:01 – The City of Yellowknife is advising residents that all municipal facilities will be closed to the public as of 2:30 pm today.
14:55 – Reminder from Emily (Cabin Radio’s assistant editor) here. I’m writing updates as quickly as possible as they come in today. If you have information to share, please message Cabin Radio on Facebook or shoot an email to news@cabinradio.ca. Other folks at Cabin Radio have intermittent cell/internet service right now so they may not be able to see your messages. I’m also quite busy so I likely won’t have time to respond to everyone but will see your message and am doing my best to deal with them as they come in fast and furious.
14:50 – NTHSSA update on service levels in Yellowknife: Non-urgent medical travel to Yellowknife is being suspended. Yellowknife residents and anyone enroute to Yellowknife for services will be seen as scheduled. Any new, non-urgent travel is being cancelled and those affected will be contacted about their appointments.
Emergency services at Stanton Territorial Hospital are at normal levels and will be maintained as a priority service. Urgent and emergency surgical capacity will also be maintained.
Intensive care patients are being moved to Alberta. The unit is expected to close in the next 24 hours. In that case, patients requiring intensive care will be held in the emergency department.
IV therapy services will be reduced over the next two to three days.
Obstetrics are expected to be reduced to emergency birthing services over the next seven days. Pregnant patients will be contacted regarding their care.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Surgical day procedures have been reduced to urgent cases with further reductions expected over the next two to three days.
14:30 – Update for pet owners in Yellowknife. Veterinarians Without Borders says it is working to get a mass shipment of travel crates to the city.
13:38 – We just received an update from Big River in Fort Providence that they plan to remain open 24 hours until at least Friday and will provide another update then.
“We also have plenty of gas so travellers don’t need to panic – we are good to go.”
13: 16 – Apropos of nothing other than providing some light reprieve to the news, my method of stress relief as of late has been re-playing this video of Fleetwood Mac performing Silver Springs in May 1997 over and over.
13:04 –NWT Parks is asking that all campers vacate Reid Lake, Prelude Lake and Fred Henne territorial parks by no later than 1pm Thursday.
“With the current state of emergency in Yellowknife due to wildfire resources and services are extremely limited or unavailable. Wildlife continues to be an issue in these parks and ECC staff are not always able to respond due to the demands of the emerging wildfire situation.”
Anyone with questions can contact parks staff at 867-446-2461.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
12:56 – United Way NWT says since May it has raised $580,000, with more than 85 per cent of that going to people affected by wildfires in the territory. It says in most cases, grants to charities, non-profits, and community and First Nations governments were approved within 24 hours.
“United Way NWT is grateful for the support we’ve received from all over North America for our community members since May. Unfortunately, this fire season is unusually active, and we anticipate a record number of requests from organizations reaching out to us for funding support,” David Connelly, chair of the United Way NWT’s emergency response committee, was quoted as saying.
The organization has now set a goal to raise $1 million.
Members of the public who are interested can donate to nwt.unitedway.ca/fires while organizations can contact support@nwt.unitedway.ca or 867-675-2643 to arrange large donations.
12:42 – Minister Caroline Wawzonek has published detailed information for GNWT employees addressing questions aboutwork given the wildfire situation.
“The GNWT is not shutting down or sending people home. If you are a supervisor, please be flexible with your staff in order to get their best from them during difficult times.”
12:34 – Full report on the North Salve wildfires update here.
11:56 – Latest update from NWT Fire on wildfire ZF015 (the Behchokǫ̀/Yellowknife fire): The wildfire is now burning 17 kilometres northwest of the city at its closest point – compared to the 16 kilometres it reported at 9:20 last night. The wildfire agency said due to strong west winds, the fire could progress up to five kilometres east today (it moved about four kilometres yesterday). NWT Fire said the fire will likely reach Highway 3 tomorrow. It added there is a chance that, if it doesn’t rain, the fire could reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend. Rain has been forecasted but there are no guarantees.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
11:47 – I just got a calendar reminder that the final sitting of the 19th Legislative Assembly was set to start today. Given the wildfire situation that has been postponed.
11:42 – A photo from Ollie just now of the lineup for gas at Big River in Fort Providence.
11:37 – New from Sarah: A Hay River family, late to leave the town on Sunday, endured a harrowing drive down the highway that ended in a collision and an RCMP rescue.
11:28 – From Adam McNab, Fort Smith’s fire chief: “Right now, conditions in town are fair. There’s smoke, but not a lot. No rain recently, blue skies. It’s going to warm up and dry up a bit here today, with some wind. We’ve got lots of work going on putting structure protection on critical assets in the downtown. We have volunteers taking care of pets at the animal shelter and people’s homes. Dozer guards are being put around neighbourhoods where possible. And all three agencies are working together to come up with some good suppression plans. All of our essential services are still operating in the community to support all the operations going on.
“We urge people to stay out of the community even though the conditions look OK. It does not mean that we’re out of the woods. The fire is still very close and active.
“Things are changing so quickly. It’s a very fluid and dynamic situation at the moment. Right now, fire behaviour is low and we haven’t seen a lot of fire growth, so that is very positive. We did receive a bit of rain a couple days ago. But I don’t want to lull people into a false sense of security either. There is still an active wildfire at our doorstep that we need to contend with. And we need to make sure that all of the agencies have room to do their work safely.
“These few days’ breathing room with a bit of extra moisture has given us a chance to do a lot of good work to protect our community, putting up structure protection, putting in more dozer guards, firesmarting around buildings. These few days have really helped and there’s a bit of rain in the forecast.”
11:18 – Sean Harrop sent us some photos of the crowd at the Yellowknife airport from earlier this morning.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
While some folks have chosen to leave the city early as a precaution, there is currently no evacuation order for any part of Yellowknife. If it’s any comfort, I’m holding tight at the Cabin Radio office, currently sitting on Ollie’s very comfy couch. If you’re in Yellowknife or the surrounding area, it is a good idea to gather essential items, get in touch with your family members and friends, and make an evacuation plan if we are ordered to leave.
11:17 – From Ollie: I’ve seen a message sent by the GNWT to some staff yesterday that stated “The Deputy Minister of Finance has indicated that remote working outside of the territory due to the current wildfire situation does not fall within the scope of the policy and will not be supported. Should you wish to pre-evacuate and not attend work you can request annual leave, which would have to be approved by your supervisor.”
One GNWT worker, asking for anonymity for fear of retaliation from their employer, writes: “I know of multiple people who are terrified and anxious but working in non-essential jobs because they have no leave left to use.”
11:12 – From Ollie: The Town of Hay River says aircraft and helicopters were able to fly last night and the “finger of the fire by Paradise Gardens was extinguished through helicopter bucketing.” There is a huge amount of protective work going on, with crews expected to stay “until the risk from the fire is gone.”
The town says Northwestel’s Enterprise central office is up and running and fibre line damage has been identified in four locations. “Crews are being deployed but no repair time has been established.”
The southern end of the fire, from Alexandra Falls to the border, “still remains active.” Warm and dry conditions are expected today, then strong winds tomorrow.
“Flights will be suspended until there is interest from evacuees,” the town stated.
11:02 – More on the evacuation order for the stretch of Highway 3. NWT Fire said while westerly winds are expected to push wildfire ZF015 east (toward Yellowknife) it’s not anticipated to reach the municipal boundary before the weekend. Highway 3 is currently open and the wildfire agency said highway staff will allow people to leave regardless of highway closures. Officers plan to go door to door to make sure people are informed. You can check the latest updates on highway closures and advisories on the territory’s highway conditions page.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
10:50 – From our neighbours to the east, Nunatsiaq News is reporting folks in Nunavut have been affected by wildfire smoke from NWT.
“I’ve been here 23 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Igloolik resident Edward Atkinson was quoted as saying.
10:47 – From Ollie: In the light of RCMP’s recommendation to some staff, we have asked the GNWT if non-essential government staff in Yellowknife are expected to remain at their posts. We’ll bring you any answer we get.
10:45 – RCMP in Yellowknife have told non-essential civilian staff and the families of members that they should “pre-emptively evacuate” on Wednesday morning. Here’s more from Ollie.
10:44 – Norland Insurance Agencies Ltd. says its office in Hay River remains closed due to the evacuation. They said they can be contacted through email or on Facebook but folks are working remotely so they may not respond immediately.
10:37 – Fort Smith update from Ollie: Parks Canada says “thanks to increased humidity and slightly cooler temperatures over the past two days, Fire 7 in Wood Buffalo National Park saw little growth yesterday.” It is nowhere near safe to think about heading back. Only “essential first responders” are left.
“Today’s priority continues to be placed on efforts to prevent the fire from impacting Fort Smith, the airport and other communities. A fire guard has been established around part of the fire on the east side of Highway 5 near where the Salt River runs under the road,” Parks Canada wrote.
“Today, crews are extinguishing hot spots along that fire guard. Crews are examining opportunities to conduct strategic micro-ignition efforts near Highway 5 to gently bring the fire to the pavement. Removing fuel prior to an approaching fire can slow down the spread of fire once it joins up with the burned area. Structural protection equipment is being redeployed to values at risk within the anticipated fire area.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
10:34 – Handing back to Emily in Yellowknife while I write some things.
10:30 – RCMP in Yellowknife have told some staff and the families of officers: if you want to go, go.
It goes further than that, in fact. An email tells non-essential public service employees and civilian members (as opposed to officers) that the recommendation from management is that they pre-emptively evacuate. Same for officers’ families.
“I can confirm that the message was sent out last night. I would categorize this advice as precautionary and for those who wish to leave,” Cpl Matt Halstead, a spokesperson, told Cabin Radio this morning.
“Like all Yellowknifers, there has been concern amongst our families and staff. The message was intended to support those who wish to leave until the situation is resolved.
“RCMP officers and certain essential civilian personnel are duty bound to remain at their posts during an evacuation order (at least initially) and having families and non-essential staff who wish to leave, supported in doing so, will allow our essential staff to be focused on the tasks at hand.”
Halstead said RCMP have also “begun preparing the preservation of the investigative files and exhibits for ongoing investigations. We have activated non-uniformed RCMP personnel into uniformed capacity in the event that an evacuation order for parts of city is issued.”
He added: “The reality for myself and the other members here is that if an evacuation order is given, we don’t get to go home and attend to our families. Our focus will be on the people in the city and supporting the tasks related to the evacuation. Allowing us to square away our families now, whether that’s having them leave or hunker down, will keep us from worrying as our duties continue.”
Advertisement.
10:22 – I came home last night to a fully cooked meal left in a bag on my doorstep with a note of thanks. I couldn’t read the signature. To that person: you have no idea how much that meant. I ate that at midnight while writing about the Fred Henne fire and packing. I hadn’t eaten for 10 hours.
To everyone who has sent food, coffee, monthly donation sign-ups, messages of support – you’re keeping this show on the road. We now have reporters in Yellowknife and elsewhere to ensure the show stays on the road and you get the information you need as we get it, no matter what.
10:16 – A quick check shows I’ve had 405 emails in the past 24 hours. There are a huge number of people with questions, all of them valid and important questions, ranging from supports for people with disabilities through to pet care and how aspects of Yellowknife’s emergency plan work.
We are not going to get to them all. I am sorry. Some of our staff drove through the night, even the ones who didn’t are exhausted. I am going to call in backup today but the problem is the people with the answers, i.e. various levels of government, may not have backup themselves and there is only so much they can do (while also being worried sick, I’m sure).
Please do keep writing, but don’t expect an answer – we read everything and if we can get an answer, it’ll appear here as soon as possible.
10:12 – All the highways with any chance of being open are open: that’s all of Highway 3, all of Highway 1. Highways 2 and 5 closed. Big River open for business and frankly not overly busy, all things considered.
10:08 – This Town of Hay River post is amazing. Look at all the help that came! A man in a Big River gas station parking lot could get emotional. *Wipes tears from bison burger*
By standards of recent days, we ought to get a full Hay River update inside the next hour. I’m trying to get a Fort Smith one, too. I did catch a CBC update that implied not much overnight change.
10:06 – (Re 10:05 update: “If you’re going, go early” may be a recurring theme.)
10:05 – Yellowknife Airport is extremely busy, I’m told, with long lines at most counters and at security. If you’re going, go early.
10:04 – If you see me (I’m the truck at Big River with the Starlink and the cat and dog noises emanating from within), come say hi.
10:01 – Ollie here in Fort Providence, taking over for the next little while. I’m running an internet satellite dish from a hybrid electric truck to bring you this. We live in interesting times.
I have the watch.
9:50 – An evacuation order for a stretch of Highway 3 has been extended by nine kilometres up to the edge of Yellowknife.
The order, which previously applied to cabin and home owners between kilometres 284 and 320 on the highway, has been expanded to kilometre 329. NWT Fire said anyone in that area should leave as soon as it is safe to do so.
The wildfire agency said this does not mean that the highway is closed.
Ollie’s report here.
9:38 – Emily here. Just wanted to take some time this morning to send a personal message to folks, particularly those in Yellowknife and the surrounding area. I know many people are understandably feeling quite stressed, anxious and scared right now. While part of the city is under evacuation alert, no one in Yellowknife is currently required to evacuate. Try to stay calm if you can and make sure take care of yourselves and your mental health. Drink water, talk to friends and family, eat good food, and try to get some sleep when you can. One thing that can help is doing what is in your control like gathering essential items, fire smarting your property and making a plan if we do have to evacuate.
I’ve also seen some inaccurate information circulating on social media and want to send a gentle reminder to please rely on trusted sources such as Cabin Radio. If you have any questions or concerns you’re hoping to clear up, feel free to send us a message and we’ll do our best to respond with the latest information or try to get an answer.
9:19 – We’ve got a shout out in our mailbox, with a request to remain anonymous, for all the contractors “pulling double duties,” specifically WB Water Services. “My boyfriend worked 11 hours yesterday delivering water to the residents of Yellowknife and the air tanker base. Don’t forget to thank the people not in uniforms. We are in this together.”
9:14 – Yellowknife RCMP have provided an update on two incidents involving allege arson that were reported on Tuesday.
Here’s Ollie’s full story on the two reported incidents in Yellowknife last night.
Police said officers spotted one fire near Long Lake around 10 pm, which was determined to have been caused by arson. A witness reported seeing two men wearing black clothing running from the area but police said service dogs were unable to locate the suspects.
RCMP said they then received a call at 11:21 pm about four girls attempting to light a fire in a green space on Burwash Drive. Officers arrested four girls near the scene, who they allege had aerosol cans and lighters in their possession, and charged them with arson.
“It should go without having to be said, incidents like these pose a very serious risk to our community,” RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Matt Halstead said in a statement. “It is completely beyond understanding that in the face of everything going on in the territory and the threat approaching our city, that people would actively attempt to start fires and endanger our community members. The RCMP will investigate these incidents to the fullest.”
9:00 – Emily again. For those interested in wildfire protection efforts in Yellowknife, Mayor Rebecca Alty posted an update yesterday about progress the city has made on fire breaks, with a map. Once the initial work is done, Alty said crews will start working behind Kam Lake and will widen fire breaks. More sprinklers will also be added to the Grace Lake area. Alty said 12 companies and the military are helping with this work. Residents are advised to avoid the areas where crews are working.
8:52 – Ollie here, checking in from Fort Providence. We’ve relocated several reporters to make sure we have continuity of coverage for all communities, just as a precautionary measure, as the GNWT might say. I’ll be based here for at least some of today, if not all of it, with Emily in Yellowknife. I can tell you there was a steady stream of vehicles with us on the way out, and while the smoke for the initial 30 kilometres was pretty hard to bear in a vehicle without functioning air conditioning, the drive was OK. Obviously, conditions will change as the day wears on, so the fact that my drive was OK does not mean things have stayed that way. At the moment, the highway from Alberta to Yellowknife is open (as is the highway to and from BC) and Big River is open with gas available – and hopefully breakfast. Let’s find out.
8:33 – Javaroma says from August 16 to September 5 it will be offering free brewed coffee and tea to people in uniform at all of its locations in Yellowknife.
“We strongly believe in giving back to those who selflessly dedicate themselves to their work, and this is our humble way of expressing our appreciation.”
8:30 – Morning all. Emily here (Cabin Radio’s assistant editor). I’ll be providing live updates on the NWT wildfire situation here as we get them and as I’m able.
