Heavy smoke from nearby wildfires fills the sky in Yellowknife on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Residents of Yellowknife and a nearby First Nation have been told they'll be allowed home as early as Sept. 6, barring any increase in wildfire risk. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Angela Gzowski
YELLOWKNIFE – Residents of Yellowknife and a nearby First Nation have been told they’ll be allowed home as early as Sept. 6, barring any increase in wildfire risk.
The city and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, which includes the nearby communities of Ndilo and Dettah, issued a joint statement on Friday announcing people will be able to return starting at noon that day.
A press conference is scheduled for this afternoon to provide information about the return.
Some of the details expected to be shared by government officials include the level of services expected to be initially available, how to plan to travel home safely, and supports that will remain in Alberta for Northwest Territories residents who can’t return immediately because of health concerns.
Shane Thompson, the territory’s minister of municipal and community affairs, says people are asked to stay where they are until the evacuation order is lifted on Wednesday.
Thompson says people from Hay River, Fort Smith, Kakisa, K’atl’odeeche First Nation and Enterprise who remain displaced due to wildfires should not travel to Yellowknife because services will be limited and there will be no supports available to evacuees from other communities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2023.
