Another wildfire in Canada’s western province of British Columbia leads to fresh evacuation orders

A new wildfire in the western Canadian province of British Columbia has resulted in fresh evacuation orders being issued on Friday (August 18). Inhabitants of Yellowknife, a northern city in Canada, hurried to depart the area in anticipation of flames obstructing their exit.

A state of emergency was declared on Friday in Kelowna, a city situated approximately 180 miles east of Vancouver. With a population of around 150,000, the city faces an imminent crisis as the province, which borders the Pacific Ocean, warns that the upcoming 24 to 48 hours could be exceptionally challenging.

As the predawn light illuminated the vicinity, some of the hills surrounding Kelowna were ablaze, ignited by wildfires that had been raging since Tuesday. These fires crossed Lake Okanagan and extended into parts of the city.

A statement from the city asserted, “Residents under Evacuation Alert are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice.” Officials reported that over 2,400 properties were subject to evacuation.

The scope of the flames and the resulting disruption underscore the severity of this year’s tumultuous events. This year’s wildfire season is the most severe on record in Canada.

In a location about 885 miles (1,425 km) northeast, the extensive blaze menacing Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories, made minimal advancement on Thursday. However, changing winds could bring it closer to the outskirts by the weekend, as disclosed by Mike Westwick, the territories’ fire information officer.

Westwick shared with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC), “The next two days are absolutely critical and will be some of the most challenging of the season.” He added, “We’re going to be putting everything we have into slowing that progression down. We’re going to be throwing aircraft at it, and when it’s safe, we’re going to be throwing people at it.”

Reuters reported that the fire is around 15 km northwest of the city. Nevertheless, shifting winds are expected to drive the flames closer. The sole highway leading out of town remains open, but fires are burning on both sides of it.

Brent Saulnier, who was visiting Yellowknife from neighboring Alberta, described the scene, stating, “Leaving Yellowknife, you’re driving into the smoke. It is on fire on both sides of the road. … It’s a very surreal experience.”

With the evacuation deadline set at noon local time (1800 GMT), numerous individuals still need to leave the city of roughly 20,000. Mayor Rebecca Alty of Yellowknife clarified, “The noon deadline doesn’t mean that the highway closes at noon. We’re just really encouraging folks to go as soon as possible. The highway will continue to be open as long as it’s safe.”