Embers of Resilience:: YELLOWKNIFE’S 2023 WILDFIRE EXPERIENCE
BY THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE
Nestled in the vast expanse of the Canadian wilderness, Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, is a thriving hub of activity, home to a tight-knit community of more than 21,200 residents (2024).
In the summer of 2023, the City of Yellowknife faced an unprecedented mass evacuation of around 19,000 residents due to a severe wildfire season. On Aug. 16, 2023, the city was placed under a mandatory evacuation order due to a territorial state of emergency, with residents and visitors advised to leave the area. The risk management strategy ensured that everyone was safely evacuated, with many evacuating to nearby communities.
The City’s emergency operations centre was activated, and a team of experts from various departments, including fire, emergency management, and communications, worked around the clock to monitor the situation and respond to the threat. The City’s emergency response team worked closely with the Government of Northwest Territories and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to coordinate relief efforts, communicate with residents, and provide critical support to those in need.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
In the face of crisis, the spirit of cooperation, compassion and community that defines the North emerged as a vital pillar of resilience. As wildfires threatened the city, its residents, organizations, and emergency responders came together, demonstrating a profound capacity for collective action and support.
In the face of crisis, the spirit of cooperation, compassion, and community that defines the North emerged as a vital pillar of resilience.
Local businesses, organizations, and individuals collaborated to create fuel breaks and provide essential support to those displaced. The integration of representatives from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation into the emergency operations centre exemplified cooperation, enhancing communication and coordination; local organizations serving vulnerable community members worked hard to ensure their safe evacuation. These collective actions not only mitigated the immediate impacts of the fires but also reinforced relationships within the community, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual reliance.
REVIEW AND ENGAGEMENT
In the aftermath of the 2023 wildfires, the City of Yellowknife embarked on a comprehensive review of its emergency management program that included the commissioning of an independent afteraction assessment to evaluate the City’s emergency response to the North Slave Complex wildfires. The assessment identified 19 key strengths and successes, as well as 35 areas for future improvement, across five themes: cross-agency coordination; public communication; considerations for vulnerable populations; emergency operations centre and continuity management; and evacuation planning,response, and recovery. The assessment can be found at https://www.yellowknife.ca/ publicsafetyreports/.
The key strengths and successes highlighted in the report include effective crossagency coordination among the City, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, as well as robust public communication and support for vulnerable populations. The report also identified areas for improvement, including emergency operations centre training and continuity management.
In response to the assessment and the review of emergency response procedures implemented at the time of the 2023 wildfires, the City of Yellowknife invested resources to create a new division for emergency preparedness. The City also engaged in a series of community outreach and engagement initiatives aimed at educating residents on wildfire risk, promoting preparedness, and fostering a culture of resilience. These efforts included public workshops, social media campaigns, and partnerships with local organizations to promote wildfire safety and awareness. Robust training programs are in place within the City to provide advanced training for staff on emergency management and responsiveness.
As Yellowknife looks to the future, the lessons learned from the 2023 wildfires play a critical role in shaping the City’s approach to emergency preparedness and capacity to respond to future events. By embracing cooperation, community spirit, and a proactive approach to wildfire management, this resilient city is ready to face whatever challenges come its way.
