‘I would love blue sky, no smoke:’ Yellowknife resident on returning home today
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As Yellowknife residents are set to return after weeks away due to wildfires, one man shared his anxieties about what they may have to deal with when they get home.
Here’s the latest:
- Evacuation order lifting in Yellowknife on Sept. 6 at noon local time
- Hay River and Fort Smith are still under evacuation order
- A fire is burning 500 metres from the Hay River hospital
- The Canadian Armed Forces is pulling out of the territory
After nearly three stressful weeks, Yellowknife building engineer William Gagnon is looking forward to being back home.
He was one of the first to leave because of a wildfire spreading toward the territorial capital on Aug. 16.
“I’ve been out for three weeks just jumping around on people’s couches,” he said. “I think this has brought me a pretty good understanding of how people can sink into homelessness.”
He’s expecting a “stinky fridge” when he returns.
Gagnon fled to Vancouver and has been staying with friends. He told CTV’s Your Morning on Wednesday he’s been feeling a lot of anxiety about the situation.
About two weeks into the evacuation, Gagnon realized his insurance coverage was running out to cover hotel stays.
“To be pushed out of your home because of climate change like this…it feels pretty much like 2023,” he said.
On Wednesday at 3 p.m. MDT Gagnon and other evacuees will board a flight to Yellowknife.
“I would love blue sky, no smoke and just be able to go running outside in the park next to my house,” Gagnon said.
View from a plane of the Hay River wildfire burning in the distance. (Government of the Northwest Territories)
Over the long weekend, essential workers returned to the city to set up the majority of services. But government officials say people returning need to be self-reliant for at least 72 hours.
“I’m gonna go to the grocery store here in Vancouver and pack an additional bag and put it on a plane,” Gagnon said. “To me, this is highlighting the fact that we’re highly dependent on supply chains…This is another impact of climate change. So I’ll be bringing a big bag full of cheese on the plane. And then I think I’ll find myself with a lot of patience.”
CAF ADJUSTS MISSION
Many residents were flown out by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) when the 20,000-person city was evacuated, but this time around evacuees will not be aided by CAF.
In an email on Wednesday, CAF said it will not be extending further assistance to the Northwest Territories.
“While wildfires continue with the N.W.T., they are now deemed actionable by territorial resources,” the email reads. “As such, following 3 weeks of assistance, the CAF support to N.W.T. is drawing down. CAF members will be returning to their home units in the coming days.”
The Air Task Force assisted with the evacuation of 430 people and personnel, while about 350 members of the Land Task Force were deployed to Yellowknife and Hay River to assist with creating firebreaks, moving brush and dousing hot spots.
“As this time, there has been no request for assistance from the CAF to help support return flights to Yellowknife,” the CAF said.
With files from the Canadian Press.
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