Ciarán FaheyCanada has seen a record number of wildfires this year — contributing to choking smoke in parts of the U.S. — with more than 5,700 fires burning more than 137,000 square kilometers (53,000 square miles) from one end of Canada to the other.
City empties as thousands flee wildfire burning near capital of Canada's Northwest Territories
Residents have heeded warnings to evacuate the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories as a wildfire burns just miles outside the city of 20,000. Meanwhile, a wildfire set homes ablaze in a city in British Columbia. Officials say over 19,000 people had left Yellowknife by Friday evening, most of them by road in long convoys and the others on emergency flights to neighboring Alberta. Authorities said the wildfire was within 9 miles of the city. Hundreds of miles south, homes were burning in West Kelowna, British Columbia. Residents there have been ordered to evacuate 2,400 properties, while 4,800 other properties are on alert. The town's fire chief says the wildfire grew “exponentially worse” overnight.