Before a Friday noon deadline for evacuation, residents of Yellowknife, Canada, are rushing to flee the city by plane and car.
Hundreds of people have been turned away from crowded flights due to hours-long lines at the airport.
Long traffic lines can be seen on the major route as officials worry that the road may get blocked as the fire gets closer.
On Thursday, it was roughly 15 kilometres (9 miles) from Yellowknife and was one of the 240 fires in the Northwest Territories.
On Saturday, the 20,000-person neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city might be in danger.
Angela Canning told the Associated Press after loading her camper van with her essential items and her two dogs, “I’m really anxious, I’m scared, I’m emotional.”
“I don’t know if I’m coming home or what I’ll find there when I get there. There are simply a lot of unknowns here.
Authorities ordered the evacuation on Wednesday because they are concerned that the major road into and out of the city may be closed off before the fire even gets that far.
In Calgary, Alberta, reception areas have been set up to receive evacuees arriving by plane or vehicle.
In other areas of the territory, about 7,000 people have had to leave their homes due to evacuation orders, while western Canada is also experiencing its worst fire season on record.
The city of Kelowna in British Columbia has declared a state of emergency, and officials there warn that the upcoming days could be among the “most difficult of the summer.”
A sizable queue of people in Yellowknife had gathered outside a nearby high school on Thursday as they waited to sign up for evacuation flights out of the city.
Police and military men proceeded down the queue while it was lightly raining, passing out chairs, snacks and drinks.
Amy Kennedy, the government’s director of communications, however, announced by afternoon local time that just 400 additional passengers could be airlifted out of Yellowknife.
We recognise how extremely frustrating this is for people who have been in queue for several hours and will have to wait in queue once more the following day’, Ms Kennedy wrote.
She claimed that people who had mobility challenges and those with compromised immune systems had been moved up the queue.
Officials stated in a briefing on Thursday night that 22 planes were scheduled to fly on Friday and that 1,800 passengers should be able to board those flights.
According to them, 5,000 individuals must depart Yellowknife by plane.
Locals have charged WestJet and Air Canada with raising the cost of departures from the city as well as the change costs for passengers with impending flights into Yellowknife.
An Air Canada representative told CBC News that direct flight prices had been limited and that the company was now expanding its regular operations in the city.
He did, however, mention that there were “limitations being imposed on flying due to the fires” and that Air Canada had cancelled flights for the day on Saturday.
WestJet informed the publication that it has changed prices to prevent “price escalation” and was cancelling change costs for passengers flying to Yellowknife within the next five days.
Additionally, other airlines have been invited to assist with the city’s exodus.
The city’s mayor and the prime minister reportedly “touched base” to talk about the current state of affairs.
He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “I reaffirmed our government’s commitment to providing support both now and in the days and weeks ahead.”
The Northwest Territories are home to about 46,000 people, and the Canadian military has been organising the biggest airlift evacuation operation in the area’s history.
Additionally, evacuation orders have been issued for the towns of Fort Smith, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, Hay River, Enterprise, and Jean Marie River.
An order to evacuate Kakisa, a town of 40 people located 130 km from Hay River, was given on Thursday.
With roughly 1,100 active flames throughout the nation, Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record.
The cause has been attributed by experts to an abnormally warm and dry spring.
According to scientists, the hot, dry weather that is likely to start wildfires is more likely as a result of climate change.