Published 6:30, August 16, 2024

One year ago, on August 16, 2023, my wife and I were ordered to evacuate our home in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, along with roughly 22,000 other residents. In a summer of smoke and flames, the NWT was hit especially hard. Wildfires came within a few kilometres of the communities of Behchokǫ̀, Hay River, the K’atl’odeeche First Nation, and Fort Smith. The small village of Enterprise was almost completely destroyed. Two-thirds of the territory’s nearly 45,000 residents vacated. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to drive to Edmonton and stay with family without incident. In the end, Yellowknife remained unscathed. For many residents, however, the evacuations themselves caused more trauma than the wildfires nearby.

Last December, the city council commissioned KPMG to assess the handling of the wildfire evacuation; the report was published earlier this summer. Many of the consulting firm’s findings echoed residents’ concerns: the City of Yellowknife and the Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) were not prepared. Plans were uncoordinated and poorly communicated. Vulnerable people—which included the houseless population, those requiring medical needs, and those without financial means or vehicles—felt unsupported.

The evacuation of Yellowknife was, in many ways, tailored for the privileged. Thousands of residents drove 1,500 kilometres to Edmonton on the only highway out of the territory, with nothing more than some long days and minor inconveniences. Those who could not drive waited in lines with their families, for twelve hours or more, to board emergency flights to Manitoba, Alberta, and BC. Many evacuees ended up in an unfamiliar city with no family or money. Dozens of residents stayed back and volunteered their time to build firebreaks around the city or to act as support for firefighters and contractors.

Everyone has an evacuation story. Many are, by turns, frightening, frustrating, harrowing, humorous, and inspiring. I set out to interview Yellowknifers about their experiences—people of diverse backgrounds and living situations—and to photograph them inside their homes. I asked each to show me objects that they felt were important and meaningful during the evacuation, whether it was something practical or sentimental, and I photographed these items too. The people I spoke to offered insights about what worked during the evacuation, what didn’t, how to prepare, and what is at stake.

Amandine Galiussi

Amandine Galiussi, a former manager of a daycare centre, was visiting Alberta with her two kids when the order to evacuate Yellowknife was announced. She paid over $1,000 for three nights at a hotel in Edmonton until she was able to reach an evacuation centre, where the Red Cross provided more information and arranged accommodations. Without a vehicle, and with no family support, trying to care for two children who require daily medication made Galiussi feel........

© The Walrus