Yellowknife declares local state of emergency due to nearby wildfire
CTV
A fire burning about 306 kilometres from the City of Yellowknife has forced city council to declare a local state of emergency to protect the community.
The City of Yellowknife has declared a local state of emergency on Monday due to the "imminent threat" of wildfires.
A state of emergency allows the city to mobilize resources to address the fire risks. The declaration happened during a special council meeting convened Monday evening.
The "trigger" for the emergency declaration, Yellowknife's city manager said, was when the Behchokǫ̀ wildfire crossed Boundary Creek about 306 kilometres away from Yellowknife along Highway 3.
"We decided that when it hits an evacuation order for that area (kilometre 307 to 320), that was time for us to take action to mobilize the equipment that we need to ensure that we're protecting the city to the maximum way that we can," Sheila Bassi-Kellett said at council.
The city is declaring an emergency so it can take pre-emptive measures, she said.
Three fires are burning near Yellowknife, a live fire map from the Northwest Territories shows. The fires are all under 0.04 kilometres in size.
Mayor Rebecca Alty noted the emergency declaration is not an evacuation notice or order.