Feds say no one will be left behind in wildfire zone as military evacuation flights begin

Federal government ministers said Friday emergency operations are going well as wildfires rage in the Northwest Territories and around Kelowna, B.C., and pledged full federal support for those affected by the crisis.

"No one will be left behind," Defence Minister Bill Blair told a news conference.

A wildfire is now within 15 kilometres of the Northwest Territories' capital Yellowknife, territorial officials reported Friday afternoon. The territorial government issued an evacuation order for the city Wednesday and set a deadline of noon Friday for residents to leave.

Meanwhile, a wildfire near Kelowna, B.C. prompted the provincial government to declare states of emergency on Friday. The B.C. Wildfire Service has predicted that the coming days will be the most challenging of B.C.'s current wildfire season.

"This has been an incredibly challenging week for Canadians," Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said.

"The stress of leaving your home, not knowing if it will be there when you return, is a reality now faced by thousands."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with evacuees from Yellowknife in Edmonton on Friday evening. He applauded the sense of community that residents showed during an "uncertain and scary time."

"The number of people who have been evacuated, who've been taking these incredible long drives to get to safety, doing it in a thoughtful orderly way, being their to look out for each other, is really the best of not just what Canada is," Trudeau said.

"But particularly people who in the north, where the sense of community and looking out for each other is truly extraordinary."

The prime minister committed to working with the governments of N.W.T. and B.C. to assist them in any way possible as fires continue to rage.

The federal government earlier this week approved Northwest Territories' request for federal assistance. Blair told the press conference the first military evacuation flight took place Thursday evening. He said a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft carried 79 long-term care residents from Yellowknife to Edmonton.

"This is an important contribution that the Canadian Armed Forces can make, because they have fit-for-purpose aircraft that are able to move people who may be non-ambulatory on stretcher or on wheelchair," he said.

"They can also provide medical personnel to provide support and assistance to those who may need it."

Blair added that 150 Canadian Armed Forces personnel have deployed to the territory, in addition to the Canadian Rangers already stationed there. He said more military flights will evacuate residents later Friday.