Residents of the city of “Yellowknife” wishing to leave the city were prevented from boarding evacuation planes due to the great pressure, after a huge fire broke out in the Canadian city in northern Canada.
Some Canadians wait for a flight to evacuate from wildfires - Source: Reuters
Officials asked people who had waited in lines for hours to board flights last Thursday to try again on Friday or Saturday.
Criticism in Canada against airlines
The country’s two main airlines are also facing criticism for rising airfares and rescheduling fees.
The blaze was 15 kilometers northwest of Yellowknife on Thursday and officials are likely to reach the outskirts of the city by Saturday.
A chilly morning in #Yellowknife as people wait for word on a flight out of the city. Many lined up at 5am. @globalnews pic.twitter.com/XLhy8vSiIv
— Jayme Doll (@DollJayme) August 18, 2023
The blaze is one of 240 wildfires that broke out in the northwestern provinces, which declared a state of emergency late on Tuesday.
While the area is vast and has a small population, its capital, Yellowknife, is home to about 20,000 people, all of whom had been ordered out of the city by Friday afternoon.
A large queue of people waiting to register for evacuation flights has formed outside a local high school. Amid light rain, police and military personnel moved along the line, distributing meals, water and chairs.
Canadian government communications director: No more than 400 people can be evacuated from Yellowknife
But by noon local time, Amy Kennedy, the government’s communications director, said no more than 400 people could be flown from Yellowknife, and Kennedy wrote, “We understand that this is very frustrating for those who have been in line for several hours and who will need to line up again tomorrow.”
Those with mobility problems and those with immunodeficiency were among those taken to the waiting list, she said.
At a news briefing on Thursday evening, officials said 22 planes were scheduled to take off on Friday and 1,800 people would be able to board those flights, adding that 5,000 people had requested to travel by flight.
Canadians accuse airlines of raising flight prices
Locals accused Air Canada and WestJet of raising fares for flights out of the city as well as changing passenger fees with flights coming to Yellowknife.
In a statement to CBC News, an Air Canada spokesperson said that direct flight fares have been set and that the company is currently doubling down on its usual operations in the city.
But he noted that there were “restrictions on flying due to fires” and that Air Canada canceled flights on Saturday.
Canadá #Yellowknife 🇨🇦
Incendios artificiales provocados por lásers / energias dirigidas #DEW bate todos los récords en los Territorios del Noroeste.
El fuego está a unos 15 km de la ciudad. 👀 pic.twitter.com/5sZUjJJRmu
— 🌐EL GRAN DESPERTAR🌐 (@destapandolose1) August 18, 2023
WestJet told the outlet it had adjusted prices to avoid “price escalation” and also waived rescheduling fees for people traveling to Yellowknife in the next five days.
He also asked other airlines to help people flee the city.
Justin Trudeau: Contacted by City Hall to discuss the situation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had “reached out to the city’s mayor to discuss the situation on the ground.” He wrote on Twitter “I reaffirm to you our government’s commitment to support now and in the days and weeks ahead.”
About 46,000 people live in the Northwest Territories, and the Canadian military is coordinating the largest air evacuation effort in the region’s history.
The communities of “Fort Smith, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, Hay River, Enterprise, and Jean Marie River” are all subject to evacuation orders.
The Kakiza community, numbering about 40 people, also received an eviction order on Thursday.
Canada is experiencing its worst bushfire season on record, with nearly 1,100 fires burning across the country as of Wednesday.
Scientists say climate change increases the risk of hot and dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.
