Wildfire threat to Yellowknife deemed serious as parts of city on evacuation alert

Thewildfire threat to Yellowknife has become serious,the N.W.T.'s minister of municipal and community affairs, Shane Thompson, told a news conference Tuesday evening.

The news briefingcame on the heels of Yellowknife declaring an evacuation alert for parts of the city's west endand Thompsondeclaringa territorial state of emergency dueto wildfires and evacuations in many parts of the territory.

The emergency declaration will allow the territory to "acquire and deploy the necessary resources to support the management of this unprecedented wildfire season, and protect the health and safety of Northwest Territories residents," according to a news release on Tuesday afternoon.

"We find ourselves in a crisis situation and our government is using every tool available to assist," Thompson said in a statement.

The declaration comes a day after Thompson said there was no need to declare a territorial state of emergency, because the government had the resources it needed to handle things and an emergency declaration would simply "cause more stress."

Up until noon Tuesday, Thompson said the governmenthad the resources to fight the fire. He wouldn't specifywhat changedafter that point in time. He said smoke is making it hard for aircraftto see what they're fighting.

Mike Westwick, a fire information officer for the N.W.T. government, said it's been difficult to fly aircraft due to smoke from the fire between Yellowknife and Behchok.

"We are out there every single day fighting the progress of this fire," Westwicksaid.

The N.W.T. is currently dealing withhundreds of active fires across the territory. Fivecommunities wereunder evacuation orders as of Tuesday evening, andother areas were under evacuation alerts.

Some communities havebeen ravaged by fire, telecommunications services are down in some areas, and the capital city was putunder a local state of emergency on Monday as a large wildfire moved closer.

Thompson saidthe territory could be dealing with wildfires for weeks yet, possibly into September.

Evacuation alert issued for parts of Yellowknife

An evacuation alert was issued Tuesday evening for the Kam Lake business district, Grace Lake and the Engleindustrial areain Yellowknife. Rebecca Alty, the city's mayor, made the announcement duringan interview with Meghan Roberts, host of CBC's Northbeat.

Alty said the evacuation alert is precautionary and that residents in those areas should be prepared to leave on short notice. During Tuesday's news conference, she said if the alert is upgraded to an evacuation order, Yellowknife's multiplex and the adjacent field house will open for those needing a place to stay.

The multiplex, she said, is a non-flammable building that has little vegetation around it, and would be protected by sprinklers.

In a phone call after the press conference, CharlseyWhite,the city's planning and development director, said the multiplex can accommodate336 cots while thefield house can accommodate300. The Old Town parking lot would be made available for people who want to camp with their pets, White said.The parking lotcan accommodate about 60 peopleif they park properly, he added.

"Should there be overflow required, that's where Rotary Park would come in as well. And we do have other locations again, should we need more space. Theseare the primary areas we would if there was an order recommend people go with their friends, their four-legged friends."

White said the city also has property next to the Bristol pit that White said could easily be made available, if needed.

White said there would be enoughspace in both city buildings to accommodate everyone in the area where an evacuation alert has been issued, should it be upgraded to an order.All three areas under the alert are on the western side of the city. Kam Lake is both a residential and industrial area, while Grace Lake is a newer residential area. Alty said theevacuation alert does not includeHall Crescent.

White said in Grace Lake, there are 64 lots and approximately 192 residents.Kam Lake has 200 lots and 200 people.

City officials later saidemergency evacuation zones which will indicate to people which zone they're in will be posted on the city's website shortly."That will create a little more clarity for the public, specifically identifying what lots are in Kam Lake, what lots are in Grace Lake," White said.

During the press conference, Altydidn'tspecify what a city-wide evacuation mightlook like. When asked, she said if the situation escalates the city with a population of about 20,000 people wouldworkwith the territorial and federal government.

Some Yellowknife residents have taken to social media to questionthe city's decision not to publicize acity-wide evacuation plan.

"I feel like our evacuation plan should have been made available to the public weeks ago," Alexis Gouldingsaid in a message to CBC News.

At Tuesday evening'snews conference,Alty was asked about providing residents with a plan.She saidany areas under an evacuation order would go to the multiplex and that next steps would be announced as they come.

The Engle Business District is an industrial area that includes the SPCA and a fuel tank farm. The city spent the past two days clear cutting trees around this area. Alty, who was born and raised in Yellowknife, said this is first evacuation alert for the city that she can remember.

Alty said that although the alert is just for three areas at this time, all residents should be prepared.Thompson said Tuesday evening the fire remains 20 kilometres from the nearest point of Yellowknife, but said it'sa rapid and evolving situation.

Services had also been reduced at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife as of Tuesday. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is ramping down services, with some ICU patients moving to the ER, and others possibly being flown to Alberta. Some extended care unit residents may also be flown south. Operating room services are also being reduced to urgent and emergent cases only.

Julie Green, N.W.T. health minister,said elders from the long term care home in Fort Smithwere originally moved to Hay River during its evacuation, then to Stanton Legacyin Yellowknifewhen Hay River was evacuated.

Now the residents are in the process of relocating to Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray, Alta. Some will be moved to facilities in the N.W.T. whenpossible.

WATCH | Damage to town of Enterprise is 'devastating':

Wildfires destroy hamlet of Enterprise as N.W.T. declares state of emergency

1 year ago

Duration 2:02

Residents of Enterprise, N.W.T. say little remains of their town after wildfire flames tore through it. Officials are urging anyone left in the South Slave region to get out while they still can. Evacuation alerts have also been issued for parts of western Yellowknife.