Firefighters work around clock to spread retardant and dig fire breaks as thousands evacuate capital of Northwest Territories
Fire crews are working around the clock to dig fuel breaks, spread fire retardant and drop water from the air in emergency efforts to stop a vast wildfire from destroying the capital city of Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT).
Teams used backhoes and bulldozers to carve out huge 100m x 15,000m fuel breaks in the surrounding forests, removing trees and brush in hopes of stopping the 1,670 sq km (644 sq mile) blaze from reaching Yellowknife.
Officials in the city of 20,000 told reporters they were also considering ignition operations – in which fires are purposely set to starve the wildfire of fuel.
Mike Westwick, NWT’s fire information officer, said small-scale ignition had helped in a second fire near the settlement of Ingraham Trail, just east of Yellowknife.
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