Vancouver, British Columbia, Aug. 20: Residents heeded warnings to evacuate the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories as a large wildfire burned just outside the city of 20,000 Friday, while firefighters battled a growing fire that set homes ablaze in a city in British Columbia.
Thousands of people in Yellowknife drove hundreds of kilometres (miles) to safety, with authorities guiding motorists through fire zones, while others waited in long lines lines for emergency flights as the worst fire season on record in Canada showed no signs of easing.
Airtankers flew missions to keep the only route out of Yellowknife open. Meanwhile, a network of fire guards, sprinklers and water cannons was established to try to protect the city from the fire.
Fire Information Officer Mike Westwick told The Associated Press by phone Friday evening that the fire did not advance Friday and was still 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of the the city, partly because cooler temperatures created less fire activity and cleared some smoke, allowing air tankers to safely fly and drop fire retardant.
Even so, "we've got the wrong kind of wind" in the forecast — gusty and from the west and northwest — and no rain, Westwick warned.
Shane Thompson, the territory's minister of environment and natural resources, said more than 19,000 people had left Yellowknife in less than 48 hours. About 15,000 went by car and 3,800 flew out.
"This is an amazing achievement to evacuate so many people safely," he said.
The fire, caused by lightning more than a month ago, is about 1,670 square kilometres (644 square miles) and "not going away anytime soon," Westwick said, adding that the blaze hads jumped three different containment lines, fueled by dry weather and dense forests. Gas stations that still had fuel were open Friday, though the city was virtually empty, with one grocery store, a pharmacy and a bar still open.
"It's kind of like having a pint at the end of the world," said Kieron Testart, who went door-to-door in the nearby First Nation communities of Dettah and NDilo to check on people. Indigenous communities have been hit hard by the wildfires, which threaten important cultural activities such as hunting, fishing and gathering native plants. (AP)
