Welcome Home!

As of 12:00p.m. September 6, 2023, the Evacuation Order for Yellowknife, Dettah and N’Dilo is anticipated to be changed to an Evacuation Alert. This is because the wildfire risk has been reduced thanks to firefighting efforts and the establishment of firebreaks around our community.

Residents can begin their journeys home beginning September 6, 2023. If you’re driving, please ensure to plan your safe route home and check all the information you need to ensure you can arrive safety. This includes looking at NWT Highway conditions, ensuring you have an ample amount of food to keep you and whoever you are travelling with fed and safe in case of an emergency or delay, and that you have a planned route that involves gas stations.

We know the last three weeks have been a challenging, stressful and traumatic time. Returning home will provide comfort to many, but the experience our community has just had to undertake will still be present in our minds. Please look at the Mental Health resources section or check in with your employer to learn more about supports available to you.

The City thanks all the volunteers, first responders, local and non-NWT based crews and organizations, and communities all across the country for helping our residents. We are so grateful for all the work and kindness you have shown our residents and community, thank you for providing comfort in such a difficult time.

We would also like to thank all of you for your patience and cooperation throughout this unprecedented time for our community, from the evacuation to returning home. The evacuation was an important part in ensuring the safety of our community and that crews could complete work to protect Yellowknife, Dettah and N’Dilo.

Questions or concerns?

Stay up to date with the latest information by visiting the GNWT’s public safety page at https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/public-safety.

For updates, please follow the City of Yellowknife on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the Government of the Northwest Territories: NWT Fire Facebook, NWT Fire Twitter, GNWT Facebook, GNWT Twitter.

We’re coming home – what does that look like?

• City of Yellowknife and Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) Community Re-entry Plan Implementation September 1, 2023

Current Status for Yellowknife - September 29, 2023

As of September 20, 2023, the Evacuation Alert for Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilǫ has been lifted. As of September 25, 2023 the City-wide fire ban on open-air fires (initially put in place on July 12, 2023) has also been lifted. A reminder to residents that burning is permitted in approved fire pits only.

The City of Yellowknife will be all waiving late fees and penalties for utility bill payments until further notice. For more information on the City’s online access and services, please check out the City’s Virtual Town Hall.

In addition to waiving late penalties for residents’ utility bills, the City of Yellowknife will also be waiving late penalties for the upcoming property tax installment and final tax levy (for those who did not sign up for a pre-authorized payment plan), due on August 31st. Pre-authorized monthly payments for property taxes will continue.

The City of Yellowknife and Yellowknives Dene First Nation have been working to welcome residents back home. 

If you are returning by flight, a staff member will come onto the aircraft once you've landed in Yellowknife and explain the process of how to move through the airport, get your check baggage, and get a safe ride home. 

Please see this Welcome Home document for more important information. 

Waste Pick-Up and Solid Waste Facility Hours

Upon returning to Yellowknife, take stock of the foods in your home. Although the city didn’t lose power, food in your fridge will have spoiled and will need to be assessed by you to see if it is still good. When in doubt, throw it out!

The Solid Waste Facility will be open Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. During this period, there will be a $0 tipping fee. The SWF will be closed Monday, September 11.

As of September 12, the SWF will open for regular hours and regular fees will apply.

Please note: The $0 tipping fee will apply for residential waste caused due to the evacuation and food spoilage, etc. Large items, construction waste and other waste will not be accepted. The City is working on a new date for the Fall Amnesty Day where these items can be disposed of.

Curbside pickup will begin as of September 7, 2023, and will limited to gray waste bins until October 2. Organic collection will begin the week of October 2, 2023.

Please be aware there has been more wildlife in the city because of the wildfires pushing animals out of their habitat. Be conscious of the way you dispose of waste, as that has the potential to attract wildlife.

Water Services and Water Quality

Upon arriving home, if you are on trucked water, it is advised to only use the water sitting in your tank for cooking or bathing purposes. Since the water has remained stagnant, if your tank has not been recently cleaned, it could be unfit for other uses. Please wait until a refill to use as drinking water. Regular water services are scheduled to begin on September 7, 2023.

For those on piped water, do not be concerned if your water comes out discoloured when you initially turn it on. This is because it has remained stagnant for three weeks. As you would when you come back from a vacation, please run your taps for 5 – 1o minutes until it is clear and flush toilets.

While you are doing this work, it is a good idea to check your circulation pump and ensure it is in good shape for the winter. 

Water testing: 

The City of Yellowknife has continued to do all required water tests throughout this situation, and can ensure it is safe for residents to consume. 

Machinery Around Town and Areas of Work

Please ensure to take care when driving in these areas and give these machines space.

Until further notice, please do not go into areas where fire breaks were established, like the Engle Business District. Allow these workers and machines space to wrap up their work and move equipment.

The City knows that our furry friends are a priority and we are working hard with partners to ensure the safety of your pets. The NWT SPCA has been providing care for animals that were identified to them throughout the evacuation period. The SPCA will have limited supplies for pets upon arriving home, and stores will be open to ensure food can be bought for animals.

Deceased and Lost Pets 

If you had to leave your animal behind during the evacuation, please ensure you do a wellness check upon returning home. In the very unfortunate circumstance where a family pet has died, please contact the Municipal Enforcement Division at 867-920-2737 or the NWT SPCA if you require assistance.

If you left your dog and cannot find it upon return, please contact NWT SPCA at (867) 920-7722.

Crates

If you require a crate to transport your pet home from Edmonton, Alberta, please reach out to the NWT SPCA at hello@nwtspca.com.

Essentials

We know the past few weeks have been financially hard. The NWT SPCA has collected essential items such as food and litter to assist those in need.  Please e-mail hello@nwtspca.com if you are in need of essential items for your pet.

Information for Tourists

We are excited to welcome you to our community at some point, but please be aware of the following:

The GNWT is advising that recreational visitors be aware of the current risks of traveling to the NWT at this time. The NWT is still under a state of emergency, and wildfire risks remain a concern across much of the territory, including around highways and evacuated communities.

Enterprise, Fort Smith, Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, and surrounding areas remain under an Evacuation Order. The City of Yellowknife remains under Evacuation Alert. Communities under evacuation alerts are still at risk from wildfires in the area.

Please allow Yellowknife services to get up and running before coming to visit us. Currently, only basic services will be available.

Keep your eye on the social media accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the City of Yellowknife for the most up-to-date information, and reach out to your tour operator or hotel directly to confirm whether they are running at full capacity.

Northland Utilities Information

With people coming home soon to Yellowknife, please know that power remained on during the evacuation orders and while you were away. Your appliances did not experience extended power disruptions and should be in working order.

Please see this Re-Entry FAQ Document, created by Northland Utilities, for more information. If you have questions, please contact their organization directly. 

Questions and Answers

When the airlifts land in Yellowknife, how do I get from the airport back home?

The City of Yellowknife will facilitate transportation for evacuees from the airport to their homes in Yellowknife.  There will be taxis and volunteer drivers available for those evacuees that need a ride. Taxi vouchers will be provided as people arrive at the airport in Yellowknife.  YKDFN will also have buses at the airport to transport YKDFN members home. Tłı̨chǫ Government will also be providing support for their citizens at the airport.

The city told drivers to bring three days of food home with them. Does that apply to air travellers, too?

The city will be open – but with basic services.  There will be food for purchase.  Grocery stores will be open but residents should be prepared for limited selection and longer lines. 

When was the last water distribution and sewage pump-out for everyone on trucked services, so they know what kind of situation to expect when they get home?

As indicated, the city will be open for residents to return but services will not be fully operational.  Upon return, residents can contact the service provider to arrange water delivery or sewage pump-put if necessary.  Trucked water and sewer delivery is expected to be at full service delivery as of September, 7, 2023.  Please watch the city’s website and social media channels for regular updates.

What’s the estimated time by which grocery stores are expected to be operating normally, with enough supplies for all residents to rely on them? Will there be any restrictions in place to prevent panic-buying or hoarding?

The City is not aware of any stores putting restrictions on purchasing in place.  The City encourages residents to only purchase the items that they require for immediate purposes. 

If we’re going down to evacuation alert, that means we must remain ready to leave at short notice. What’s the plan if we need a SECOND evacuation?

Evacuating over 20,000 residents was an enormous undertaking that was necessary for everybody’s safety given the wildfire threat as of August 15^th.  As the Yellowknife/ Behchokǫ̀ fire is currently classified as ‘being held’, temperatures have cooled, precipitation has increased, and fire protection measures have been completed it is very unlikely at this time that a second mass evacuation would be required as swift action would be taken to address any wildfire threat that might emerge.  The Government of the Northwest Territories led the mass evacuation of Yellowknife.

Work is underway to bring back essential workers from critical services, which is Phase 3 of the Government of Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Road to Re-entry Plan.

Right now there are very few people left in the Yellowknife, and most are fully dedicated to the emergency response. Before all 20,000 residents come back, we need to make sure that we have things like enough doctors, food, gas, and essential City services in place.

The City has identified a list of critical services. We are currently contacting these businesses and organizations directly. They are then asked to identify the staff they need to reopen at a basic level of service, the names of these staff and immediate family members they are travelling with.

Those names will then be provided to the Government of Northwest Territories, which will add them to a list of individuals permitted to pass the highway roadblocks or contact them to arrange air transportation once current travel restrictions for essential workers are lifted.

If you are named as an essential worker of a critical service, you will be contacted directly by your employer. Please do not contact the City of Yellowknife, the Government of Northwest Territories or any other order of government about your status unless you are asked to do so.

If you have not been specifically asked to return, do not attempt to do so.

Smaller communities along the Alberta/NWT border have limited resources and amenities available. Unless you have been named as an essential worker, please do not head north to wait to return. 

If you have been contacted by your employer and asked to return

Travel by road

Highway conditions remain variable due to several fires along Highway 1. If you are travelling by road, you should prepare for road closures of up to 24 hours, with few amenities available. Make sure you have adequate food, water, fuel and other essential supplies on your journey.

You should also ensure you check Highway Conditions (gov.nt.ca) before and as often as possible during your trip. Stay aware of weather forecasts, travel advisories and other alerts as conditions can change quickly. 

Travel by air

If you are an authorized essential worker and you have asked to return by air, you will be contacted by the Government of Northwest Territories to confirm your flight details. 

What to expect when you return to Yellowknife

Yellowknife is currently offering very limited services. Some grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies are open with a few staff. Very limited health services are available. If you require specialty products, consider bringing them with you. If you have complex health needs, require child care or other specific amenities or services, please wait before you return.