Canada Is Burning – Evacuations Underway

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories (AP) — Residents of the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories are fleeing an approaching wildfire in long convoys of cars, while air evacuations are underway for those who cannot leave by road. High risk residents of Yellowknife, a city of 20,000, have been told to leave as soon as possible, while those in other areas should be out by noon Friday, because strong north winds could push the fire toward the highway needed for evacuation. Canada has seen a record number of wildfires this year with more than 5,700 fires burning more than 53,000 square miles. As of Thursday, 1,053 wildfires were burning, more than half of them out of control.