Northwest Territories declares territorial state of emergency amid wildfires

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 Slave regions are rapidly evolving, and the needs on the ground are changing quickly. Fort Smith and Hay River remain at risk due to wildfires burning in the South Slave region,” the Government of the Northwest Territories said in a press release. “Yellowknife is also at an increased risk due to a wildfire approaching from the west.”

“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.