Yellowknife nearly emptied as fire fight continues: ‘Most of the people are now gone’
Global News
Officials say more than 19,000 people complied with the evacuation, leaving in streams of vehicles south down the highway or by air on evacuation flights.
Nearly all residents have left the capital of the Northwest Territories, where officials say the weather has helped slow the threat of an encroaching wildfire.
An evacuation order issued Wednesday for Yellowknife, a city of 20,000, had a deadline of Friday noon, and RCMP were going door to door urging people to leave.
Officials say more than 19,000 people complied with the evacuation, leaving in streams of vehicles south down the highway or by air on evacuation flights.
They say about 2,600 people remain in the city — 1,000 of them essential workers.
As of Friday night, wind continued to pose an imminent threat and the fire remained about 15 kilometres from the northwest edge of the city.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited some evacuees in Edmonton and commended all for a “thoughtful, orderly evacuation.”
Many evacuees have travelled to different areas of Alberta but some were also being flown to Manitoba.
Emergency teams, crews working on the fire, utilities workers and the RCMP were among those remaining in the city.