The City of Calgary will be lending its support to help thousands of people fleeing wildfires in the Northwest Territories.
The Calgary Emergency Management Agency has activated the Municipal Emergency Plan and said they’re prepared to accommodate as many as 5,000 evacuees from the Northwest Territories fires.
On August 15, 2023, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs declared a state of emergency and directed residents of the City of Yellowknife, Ndılǫ, Dettah and Ingraham Trail to begin evacuating.
Residents living along the Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and Engle Business District were directed to evacuate immediately whereas other residents were given until noon on Friday, August 18 to evacuate.
The City of Calgary is expecting to receive five flights of evacuees to arrive on Aug. 17 at the Calgary International Airport. Once arrived, the displaced residents will be able to find a reception centre to receive further information and support.
“Those in Yellowknife and the surrounding areas and the 1000s of people who are fleeing to escape the fires, we in Calgary are here to help. This is a time when communities step up to help others and we stand by those in need in this stressful and no doubt scary time,” said Iain Bushell, Director of Emergency Management and Community Safety with the City of Calgary.
“Between the 5,000 that we are willing to accept and other municipalities, we have the capacity to take as many evacuees as we need.”
For those who arrive by vehicle or other means of transportation, the City of Calgary has set up an additional reception centre at The Westin Calgary Airport which will open on August 17, starting at 2 p.m.
“We want to ensure that when they arrive in Calgary, they have access to accommodations, amenities that they need, to the government services and mental health supports,” said Bushell.
The evacuees will find spaces in Calgary hotels. If there are capacity issues, the city said that other facilities, such as Stampede Park, may be considered.
