Canadian authorities announced that wildfires in the Northwest Territories forced the complete evacuation of Hay River on Friday. This area is home to approximately 4,000 people and is located on the Great Slave Lake. The government of the Northwest Territories ordered everyone in the town, including essential workers, to proceed to the local airport and wait for further instructions.
The government stated in a notice published at 3:23 PM local time: "Anyone who remains in Hay River is responsible for themselves. There will be no emergency services or response available."
In a subsequent notice, the government also pointed out that mail services to many areas in the Northwest Territories have been affected by the fires. Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season ever. In recent days, more than 50,000 people, including all residents of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, have had to flee their homes.
