Entire town of Hay river in Canada ordered to leave as wildfires encroach

FILE PHOTO: Members of B Company, 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, conduct firefighting operations near Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada August 21, 2023. Lieutenant (Navy) Alex Roy/Canadian Forces/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) - Wildfires in Canada's Northwest Territories on Friday forced the evacuation of the entire town of Hay River, a community of about 4,000 people on the Great Slave Lake, authorities said.

The government of the Northwest Territories ordered everyone in town, including essential workers, to go to the Hay River Merlyn Carter Airport and await further instructions.