The City of Yellowknife has declared a State of Local Emergency, under the NWT Emergency Management Act.A State of Local Emergency is called when a community government determines additional powers are needed to take immediate action in an emergency..This includes taking over the use of vehicles or property to respond to the emergency, causing an evacuation for all or a portion of the community, and authorizing qualified individuals to provide services or aid in emergency responses..The city said it is not declaring an evacuation alert, notice or order by declaring this..“Residents should remain calm and ensure they are prepared in the event that the situation changes,” said Mayor Rebecca Alty..“Information will be communicated as it becomes available from trusted sources, do your part by being prepared and fire conscious.”.The city said it continues to collaborate with multiple levels of government to manage risk and collaborate on what different responses could look like..The territorial and city governments said it has been working hand-in-hand to prepare proactive protections for the community due to these wildfires..With advice from NWT Fire, the City of Yellowknife is moving forward with several important steps:.Firebreaks west of the sandpits area and around the Engle Business District;Work to remove vegetation along Deh Cho Boulevard to increase wildfire protection;Sprinkler setup around Grace Lake and Kam Lake areas..Communications.The city said it knows residents are concerned with the situation in the area and in the rest of the territory..Residents will be notified of any updated levels of risk via the emergency alert functions on cell phones..The city said it has been assured that if the fibre optic line was to be compromised, cell phones and cellular data will still be accessible for residents..Emergency information on the internet will still be able to be accessed by residents via the city’s website and social media. If, in the unlikely event that communications are affected, the city will put out paper updates at City Hall and the Multiplex for residents to access.."We know many folks have been asking for a more specific plan for what will happen in the event of an evacuation," the City of Yellowknife stated.."These situations are dynamic and depend on the conditions and risks of a specific situation.".The city said it can advise residents that, if it is determined that an evacuation is necessary, residents will be notified of the location of evacuation centres and the safest route to take to those centres.
