Wildfires in Canada’s Northwest Territories and British Columbia continue to rage, with firefighters working tirelessly to contain the flames. Despite some milder weather conditions on Saturday, forecasters have warned that drier and windier weather is expected, posing further challenges to the firefighting efforts.
Canada is currently experiencing its worst fire season on record, with over 5,700 fires burning more than 137,000 square kilometers (53,000 square miles) across the country. Nearly all of the 20,000 residents of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, have been evacuated, and the fire there is still a serious threat, according to Mike Westwick, wildfire information officer for the city.
In British Columbia, the city of Kelowna, with a population of 150,000, has also been threatened by the wildfires, but firefighters have managed to keep the flames at bay, although 150 fires continue to burn out of control in the province. Both provinces are under a state of emergency, and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes.
The situation is described as “grim” by Premier David Eby, who urged residents to stay away from fire-affected areas and restricted non-essential travel in order to provide accommodation for displaced residents and firefighters.
