We are prepared to provide temporary accommodation for evacuees if required, along with support on the ground fighting the fires in NWT.
by Alec Salloum
Regina Leader-Post
Saskatchewan is extending support to the North West Territories as thousands of people are under evacuation orders as wildfires force residents to flee.
The territorial government gave Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah evacuation orders late on Wednesday as uncontrolled fires approach the communities. Residents at highest risk are living along Ingraham Trail and in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle Business District.
On the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Premier Caroline Cochrane told residents “We’re all in this together, but individually we choose how to react.”
“We will get through this. Now more than ever is the time to ask for help if you need it and to work together.
Premier Scott Moe said on X that he has been in contact with Cochrane and is prepared to offer support.
“We are prepared to provide temporary accommodation for evacuees if required, along with support on the ground fighting the fires in NWT,” said Moe.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) sent an “Incident Management Team,” two agency representatives and 40 wildland firefighters to help efforts in the NWT. The group left from the Prince Albert Airport this morning and is expected to be out of the province for approximately two weeks, but they can be called back to Saskatchewan at any time should the need arise,” said the government in an emailed release.
Already 16 Saskatchewan wildland firefighters are deployed in the Yukon “to help local ground crews in their efforts to contain wildfires burning in the territory.”
Early Thursday morning the NWT government said evacuees can get support in three Alberta communities, as the government searches for more hosts. Reception centres for Yellowknife evacuees are set to open at noon Thursday in Valleyview, Fox Creek and Red Deer.
—with files from The Canadian Press
