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With this status, authorities have additional powers to respond to emergency situations and can focus more on repairing the damage caused by the fires so far this year.

“This allows (the government) to obtain and deploy the resources necessary to support the management of this unprecedented wildfire season and protect the health and safety of residents of the Northwest Territories,” the government said territorial in a press release, cited by AFPWednesday (16/8).

The Canadian government announced Tuesday that it has approved federal aid to fight wildfires and is deploying armed forces to help with firefighting efforts in the region.

“We are working closely with the Government of the Northwest Territories to ensure that communities receive the support they need,” Canadian Federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan said in a statement.

The City of Yellowknife also declared a local state of emergency Monday evening in response to potential risks from nearby wildfires.
The declaration was made as a precaution and residents were not given evacuation notices, city officials said in a statement.

“Residents should remain calm and ensure they are prepared if the situation changes,” said Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty.

Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories and is located 450 km south of the Arctic Circle. With a population of around 20,000, it is one of the largest towns in the sparsely populated north.

Over the weekend, residents of most communities in the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories, located along the Alberta border, were ordered to evacuate.

The hamlet of Enterprise, a village of more than 100 inhabitants, was almost completely destroyed by fire, CBC News, reported Tuesday, citing Enterprise's mayor.

This year, wildfires have struck nearly all of Canada's 13 provinces and territories, forcing the evacuation of homes, disrupting energy production and reducing federal and international firefighting resources.

More than 130,000 square kilometers of land were burned, a record for this stage of the season, and nearly 168,000 people were forced to evacuate at one point.

The Northwest Territories has seen 265 wildfires so far this year, well above the 10-year annual average of 185.