Thousands remain displaced as fires burn in the west

Thousands of residents in Western Canada and the Northwest Territories remained out of their homes Thursday as out-of-control wildfires continued to burn.

The Alberta government website said there were 93 active wildfires as of midday, with 27 of them classified as out of control. Two weeks after evacuation orders started being issued in the province, about 12,000 evacuees were still out of various communities.

More than 2,500 people are helping to fight Alberta’s fires, including crews from across Canada, the United States and the Armed Forces.

In the N.W.T., about 3,500 people evacuated Sunday from K’atl’odeeche First Nation and the neighbouring community of Hay River, N.W.T. Officials said 896 had registered to stay in Yellowknife.

“Help isn’t going anywhere,” Shane Thompson, territorial minister of environment and climate change, told a media briefing Thursday. “We will be with you every step of the way.”

The fire, which was last estimated at nearly 18 square kilometres, is suspected to have been humancaused. Officials said there have been no reports of damage in Hay River, but 15 buildings have been damaged on the reserve.

N.W.T. wildfire information officer Mike Westwick said extremely hot and dry conditions on Wednesday led to greater fire activity, with heavy smoke and ash being pushed toward the communities. He said 11 fire crews — nearly 120 people — and multiple helicopters, air tankers and pieces of heavy equipment were working to battle the fire and prevent further damage.

“We’re looking ahead to some difficult days of working on this fire,” he said, adding the outlook for the wildfire season across the territory is severe.