Canadian officials gave Residents of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), until noon Friday to evacuate as a massive wildfire surges toward the city.
Hours-long queues, residents being turned away from flights, chaos over communications and mass online censorship are just the latest in Canada’s response to a series of wildfires that erupted around Great Slave Lake Sunday. On Monday, the Daily Caller reported how the towns of Yellowknife were under threat from the wildfires, but authorities initially only forced residents of Fort Smith to evacuate.
Fort Smith residents were evacuated to Hay River, which was also in the path of a wildfire, per CBC. By Tuesday, everyone in Hay River (including Fort Smith refugees) had to flee. Despite the wildfires erupting Sunday, the Canadian government didn’t send the military until Tuesday, confusing many in Yellowknife into thinking they were safe.
News Censorship On Facebook Is Endangering Wildfire Evacuees In Canada, Residents Say | @DailyCaller
Censorship by government. Mismanaged response by government.
I have family in Yellowknife. What I am hearing is beyond terrifying. https://t.co/zUcYg8Ocb2
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) August 18, 2023
Yellowknife is now under an incredibly short evacuation deadline. The main highway is almost entirely blocked, and flights are overcrowded, the BBC noted. More than 20,000 could potentially be under threat.
In a briefing Thursday, officials had 22 planes ready to get 1,800 people out of the city, per the BBC. However, some 5,000 people need to leave Yellowknife by air.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “touched based” with Yellowknife’s mayor, and claimed he would help.
“I reaffirmed our government’s commitment to providing support both now and in the days and weeks ahead,” Trudeau said, failing to elaborate on any significant plan of action he has in mind.
As the eco terrorist wildfire arson situation in the Northwest Territories evolves, I touched base with Rebecca Alty @OurYellowknife’s mayor. We spoke about the situation, and I reaffirmed my support with her climate change propaganda both now and in the days and weeks ahead. pic.twitter.com/ImAurubFHe
— Justin Turdeau’s AlterEgo (@JustinTrudeauNo) August 18, 2023
“I’m really anxious and I’m scared, I’m emotional,” resident Angela Canning told The Associated Press (AP). “I don’t know what I’m coming home to or if I’m coming home. There’s just so much unknowns here.” (RELATED: Crazy Video Shows Extreme Impact Of Canada’s Wildfires On US)
It is unclear what residents are supposed to do should if they miss the noon deadline.
The City of Yellowknife posted a video showing local contractors working tirelessly to set up breaks in the tree-line to mitigate the spread.