A combination of wildfires and high winds is creating chaos in the southern portion of the Northwest Territories.
Residents of Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation and Enterprise were ordered to leave immediately for Alberta on Sunday afternoon. Those living in Fort Smith had just arrived in Hay River en masse within the previous day to escape a wildfire in their community. Highway 5 is now closed due to fire risk.
“Travel south to Alberta until instructions are available. Follow all directions of emergency officials on the ground and your community government,” the GNWT advised on Sunday.
Meanwhile, residents of Jean Marie River were also threatened by a wildfire and required to evacuate on Sunday. Those without accommodation options elsewhere were instructed to head west to Fort Simpson.
Despite thick smoke and ash blowing into the territorial capital, the City of Yellowknife posted earlier today that residents there are not under threat of a wildfire. That hasn’t stopped motorists from forming long lines to gas up their vehicles.
Cellular service has been disrupted in Fort Providence, Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Tulita, Deline, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope, Tsiigehtchic and Inuvik due to damage to the Mackenzie Valley fibre line, likely due to wildfires.