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The Government of the Northwest Territories officially declared a territorial state of emergency on Tuesday in response to out-of-control wildfires in the territory.
Situations in the South Slave and North Salve regions are quickly changing, the territorialgovernment said in a press release, also noting that Fort Smith and Hay River remain at risk.
Due to wildfires approaching from the west, Yellowknife is also facing an increased risk, the territoryannounced.
“The decision to declare a territory-wide State of Emergency allows the Government of the Northwest Territories and our partners to access and deploy resources so that we can continue our work to protect residents and communities in a more efficient manner,” N.W.T. Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Shane Thompson said in the notice.
“We find ourselves in a crisis situation and our government is using every tool available to assist.”
On Monday, the Government of the Northwest Territories issued warnings which advised residents to evacuate Hay River, Enterprise, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, Fort Smith and surrounding areas as wildfires spread near the communities.
The City of Yellowknife first declared a state of local emergency on Monday night. Hay River Mayor Kandis Jameson is also askingall residents to leave, despite flaws in communication.
“We can’t even send out an alert to tell you it’s coming at us or get to the muster stations because we don’t have communications,” she told CTV News.
Jennifer Lennie, a Hay River resident who stayed behind despite warnings to flee on Tuesday, witnessed the flame-ravaged landscape of her community. “There’s some homes. Not every single house burned,” she told CTV News. “But a lot of it is gone.”
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, including 124 soldiers, are prepared to be mobilized in the Northwest Territories as flames threaten communities and prompt hundreds of civilians to be airlifted to safety. One hundred soldiers are set to help with firefighting logistics, such as dousing hot spots and clearing areas.
As of Tuesday, there are currently over 230 active wildfires in the territory according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV National News Manitoba Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon