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NWT Emergency Response Update – September 06, 2023 7:00 PM

Press Release

September 06, 2023

Residents and evacuees can call 1-844-259-1793 to ask questions about evacuation

Current Status

Territorial State of Emergency

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has extended the Territorial State of Emergency until September 11, 2023.

This allows the GNWT to acquire and deploy the necessary resources to support emergency management and protect the health and safety of Northwest Territories residents.

This measure has ensured that the Emergency Management Organization (EMO) is better equipped to support the GNWT, community governments, and public agencies involved in emergency management plans and programs under the Emergency Management Act.

General Updates

The latest updates from the Emergency Management Organization can be found here: Latest Updates

Information about which NWT communities are currently under an evacuation order can be found here: Notices, Alerts, and Orders

Information about Evacuee Reception Centre locations can be found here: Evacuee Reception Centres

Yellowknife, Dettah, N’Dilo and Ingraham Trail Re-Entry Update

Residents of Dettah, the Ingraham Trail, Ndilǫ and the City of Yellowknife can return to their communities beginning today. For more information please go to: https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/public-safety/re-entry-after-evacuation

The City of Yellowknife has useful information for residents here: https://www.yellowknife.ca/en/living-here/the-road-to-re-entry.aspx

Residents returning by road

  • Check highway conditions prior to travelling: https://www.dot.gov.nt.ca/Highways
  • Know when and where to buy fuel, where rest stops are located, and have a plan for dealing with long delays
  • Bring basic supplies to last 72 hours. Ensure you have enough fuel, food, water and other supplies for the drive ahead.
  • Watch out for firefighters working in the area and watch out for wildlife
  • Drive carefully and follow directions and signs
  • For more information on returning by road: https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/public-safety/returning-yellowknife-road

While these communities are no longer under an Evacuation Order, the Order has been downgraded to an Evacuation Alert. This means residents should continue to be prepared to leave.

For the latest, most accurate emergency information, visit https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/public-safety and listen to your Community Government.

Re-Entry Flight Information

Anyone who needs a GNWT re-entry flight needs to pre-register as soon as possible. Pre-registration for Yellowknife re-entry flights is now available for evacuees from Yellowknife, Dettah, Ndilǫ and the Ingraham Trail.

Evacuees in Calgary – Pre-register TODAY

Hotels in Calgary will not be available after September 8th – In order to make sure you are able to get on a flight before your hotel accommodations end, Yellowknife evacuees in Calgary should pre-register TODAY by 8:00PM. If you do not pre-register today, we cannot guarantee you will be booked on a flight before your hotel accommodations end. Pre-register now at https://www.gov.nt.ca/…/publi…/returning-yellowknife-air

Flight pre-registration for other Alberta locations will close on Friday September 8th at 8:00PM.

Flight confirmations will be sent to you directly as flights are booked. You will get a text message, email or phone call. These notifications will contain check-in information. Follow the instructions in the message and proceed to the check-in location at the specified time. You will be transported from the check-in location to the airport.

You will NOT be asked to reply to the message. You will not be asked for personal information, payment, or any other details. There are no links to click. If you have questions about your flight confirmation, call 1-888-383-8410.

If you miss your assigned flight, there is no guarantee you will be re-booked on a second flight. You will be responsible for booking and paying for your own return to Yellowknife.

Pre-registration allows for passenger lists to be created before a flight date and time is confirmed. This means that flights can be scheduled and depart as quickly as possible.

Pre-Registration for Evacuees in Whitehorse and Winnipeg

Please note that due to the small number of evacuees located in Whitehorse and Winnipeg, one re-entry flight is being planned per location. These flights are tentatively scheduled to depart on Thursday, September 7. If you are an evacuee in one of these locations and have not pre-registered, please do so as soon as possible.

More information is available at: https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/public-safety/returning-yellowknife-air

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Wildfire Status

Follow NWT Fire for updates on wildfire:

Highways and Airports
Visit the Highway Conditions Map for the NWT current highways status

Wildfires in the NWT mean highways could close with little or no advance notice:

  • Highway 1 - OPEN.
  • Highway 2 - CLOSED. First responders, trucks carrying fuel and groceries, and essential workers may be granted access based on highway conditions.
  • Highway 3 - OPEN.
  • Highway 5 - CLOSED. First responders, trucks carrying fuel and groceries, and essential workers may be granted access based on highway conditions.
  • Highway 6 – CLOSED. First responders, trucks carrying fuel and groceries, and essential workers may be granted access based on highway conditions.

DO NOT call NWT Fire for highway updates.

Please check the NWT Highway Conditions Map for the latest updates: https://www.dot.gov.nt.ca/Highways
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Finance

The GNWT continues to offer several financial support programs:

Health Services Updates

  • The Yellowknife Sobering Centre is open at 50% capacity for overnight stays.
  • The Yellowknife Day Shelter is op++en at 50% capacity, providing limited services including meals and bathrooms.
  • The Main Environmental Health Office is up and running. Residents who have a questions or concerns can reach the office by:

Health Considerations For Re-Entry:

REGARDING SMOKE & AIR QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS

Poor air quality can affect resident’s health and well-being. This is especially true during forest fire season. Forest fire or wildfire smoke affects people differently based on how long the person is exposed, their age, health and level of outside activity.

The CPHO is recommending that residents, especially if at higher risk for complications due to poor air quality, monitor the air quality in their community through the PurpleAir Live Map and adjust their activities accordingly.

REGARDING RE-ENTRY CONSIDERTIONS

Below are some additional considerations for your home environment when returning from a long evacuation. Note that these recommendations are applicable to both residential and commercial users.

FOOD SAFETY

Check the fridge and freezer and ensure they are still operating.

If the freezer food shows no signs of defrosting, they should be safe to use.

Remove and discard any food in the fridge or freezer that has spoiled or looks/smells questionable.

Remove shelves, crispers and ice trays. Wash them thoroughly with hot water and detergent. Then, rinse with a sanitizing solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Instructions on how to mix bleach can be found on the second page of this document:

https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/sites/hss/files/resources/enhanced-cleaning-checklist_0.pdf

Wash the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, including the doors and gaskets, with hot water. Rinse with a sanitizing solution.

Leave the door open for about 15 minutes to allow free air circulation.

Close the doors and wait until the inside temperature of your fridge has reached 4ºC before refilling it with food.

Close your freezer and wait until your freezer is cold enough to freeze food before refilling it.

If fridge or freezer show signs of damage or have lost power over an extended period of time you will need to discard all contents.

For commercial settings: Environmental Health does not require an inspection before re-opening the business. Any questions or concerns related to Food Safety should be directed to Environmental_Health@gov.nt.ca.

DRINKING WATER SAFETY

Throughout the evacuation, essential staff remained in all affected communities and maintained the operation of Water Treatment Plants.

Drinking water samples were regularly tested, and the water remained safe throughout the period.

It is recommended those with piped water to run your taps for 5-10 minutes until it is clear and flush toilets as there may be some discolouration from stagnant water.  For those with trucked water they are advising you only use water sitting in your tank for cooking or bathing until a refill.  See: https://www.yellowknife.ca/en/living-here/the-road-to-re-entry.aspx#Water-Services-and-Water-Quality

If you have any concerns related to drinking water,contact:

Environmental_Helath@gov.nt.ca.

RESOURCES

Enhanced Cleaning Checklist (with instructions on bleach solution):
https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/sites/hss/files/resources/enhanced-cleaning-checklist_0.pdf

Boil Water Advisories:
https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/boil-water-advisories

City of Yellowknife Water Quality Statement:
https://www.yellowknife.ca/en/living-here/the-road-to-re-entry.aspx#Water-Services-and-Water-Quality

Additional Health Services information and updates can be found here.

Justice

Please consult the NWT Courts website for more information.

Industry, Tourism & Investment

Advice on recreational travel to the NWT

The GNWT is advising that recreational visitors be aware of the current risks of traveling to the NWT at this time. The NWT is still under a state of emergency, and wildfire risks remain a concern across much of the territory, including around highways and evacuated communities.

Enterprise, Fort Smith, Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, and surrounding areas remain under an Evacuation Order. The City of Yellowknife remains under Evacuation Alert. Communities under evacuation alerts are still at risk from wildfires in the area.

Update on NWT Parks Facilities

Resident returning to Yellowknife by road should be advised that some NWT Parks facilities will not be open or operating along the highway due to closure and/or fire damage.

The following NWT Parks are closed and not operating:

  • Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park
  • McNallie Creek
  • Lady Evelyn Falls Territorial Park

The following NWT Parks facilities will be open and operating (be advised some services may be limited):

  • 60th Parallel Territorial Park
  • Slave River Lowlands Overview
  • Kakisa River Territorial Park Day use area
  • Dory Point Territorial Park Day Use area
  • Fort Providence Territorial Park
  • Chan Lake Territorial Park
  • North Arm Territorial Park

Pump-out stations along the route to Yellowknife include:

  • 60th Parallel
  • Fort Providence

Donations

Monetary donations are being accepted by United Way NWT.

Be Ready for Wildfires

Get your Emergency Kit and essentials packed and ready.

More Information

Evacuee Registration Portal

The Evacuee Registration Portal is for NWT residents who need to evacuate—or be prepared to evacuate—due to an emergency or disaster. All residents who have been evacuated are asked to register themselves in the portal, even if you have also registered at an evacuation centre.

NWT Wildfires Safety Check

A public Facebook group is available to mark yourself safe from the 2023 wildfires in the NWT.

If you need to report a missing person, contact the RCMP at 867-669-1111.

NWT Alert

Follow the latest emergency alerts here: https://nwtalert.ca/#/

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