Wildfires menacing the capital of the Northwest Territories crept closer Wednesday while evacuees continued to arrive in Alberta, recounting stories of roads on fire and homes melted to their metal frames.

The N.W.T. government, in its latest fire update, said a blaze had advanced slightly overnight and was within 16 kilometres of Yellowknife, home to 20,000 people.

Yellowknife residents have been told to prepare to leave by Friday at noon. Across the city, residents continued to deal with heavy smoke and falling ash while crews tried to contain the blaze from entering the community.

害羞草研究所淎 network of fuel breaks, sprinklers and other protective measures are being put in place by the city of Yellowknife and our team,害羞草研究所� stated the N.W.T. government in a fire update posted online Wednesday.

The city was organizing shelters in another part of the community for evacuees from the west end.

N.W.T. fire information officer Mike Westwick said the fire could reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend if it doesn害羞草研究所檛 rain.

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害羞草研究所淭here is rain in the forecast, but we害羞草研究所檝e learned this summer that there are no guarantees on things like that.害羞草研究所�

He said the fire could also reach Highway 3 害羞草研究所� the main ground transportation artery for Yellowknife 害羞草研究所� by Thursday. An evacuation order has been expanded to residents who live along that route, he said.

The N.W.T. is grappling with more than 200 wildfires that have already burned an area four times the size of Prince Edward Island.

Westwick said eight communities have evacuated, representing 15 per cent 害羞草研究所� or nearly 6,800 people 害羞草研究所� of the territory害羞草研究所檚 population.

害羞草研究所淭he human toll of this wildfire season can害羞草研究所檛 be overestimated,害羞草研究所� he said.

The territorial government declared a state of emergency late Tuesday, allowing it to access resources to combat what it害羞草研究所檚 calling an unprecedented wildfire season.

The evacuation orders include Fort Smith, Enterprise, Jean Marie River and Hay River. Many displaced by the fires were relocating to temporary shelters in Alberta.

Many highways have been closed and the territory has had what officials called the largest airlift in its history. Canadian Forces personnel are helping firefighters and have flown evacuees out on Hercules aircraft.

In St. Albert, Alta., on Edmonton害羞草研究所檚 outskirts, Tanisha Edison arrived at a fire evacuation centre after a 19-hour drive from her home in Hay River.

Edison, who is days away from giving birth, said the trek took her through the hamlet of Enterprise, home to about 100 people.

害羞草研究所淭he town was gone pretty much,害羞草研究所� Edison said. 害羞草研究所淣o buildings left. It was just metal frames melting.

害羞草研究所淵ou couldn害羞草研究所檛 even read the signs because 害羞草研究所� when the fire blew through there, they were all melted.

害羞草研究所淭rees were like ashes. Everything was like ashes and on fire.害羞草研究所�

About 80 per cent of Enterprise, including homes and businesses, was destroyed but everyone made it out alive, said Blair Porter, the community害羞草研究所檚 senior administrative officer.

害羞草研究所淛ust a couple days ago, it was a thriving community 害羞草研究所� now it害羞草研究所檚 all gone. It害羞草研究所檚 pretty devastating.害羞草研究所�

Evacuee Yvette Bruneau of Hay River said she was dodging flames on the road and driving blind through the smoke trying to get to safety.

害羞草研究所淲e couldn害羞草研究所檛 see the road, zero visibility,害羞草研究所� Bruneau said.

害羞草研究所淭he only way I knew I was on the road (is) my car would start tilting (into the ditch).害羞草研究所�

She said when she later got out of the car, it had been torched on one side.

害羞草研究所淚 phoned my son and I said, 害羞草研究所榃ell, if I don害羞草研究所檛 make it out, I love you.害羞草研究所� He said, 害羞草研究所楳om, I love you, too.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

She then told him: 害羞草研究所淒o not come after me. You will not make it.害羞草研究所�

There have been no reports of injuries or fatalities due to the wildfires.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane spoke Wednesday, agreeing to remain in close contact as the wildfire situation develops.

害羞草研究所淭he prime minister reaffirmed the Government of Canada害羞草研究所檚 commitment to provide ongoing assistance to the territory and affected communities,害羞草研究所� a readout from Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 office said.

In Yellowknife, RCMP told staff in an email Tuesday that non-essential employees and members害羞草研究所� families should consider evacuating.

Spokesman Cpl. Matt Halstead said Wednesday that the email was a precautionary measure.

害羞草研究所淭he reality for myself and the other members here is that if an evacuation order is given, we don害羞草研究所檛 get to go home and attend to our families,害羞草研究所� Halstead said in an email.

害羞草研究所淥ur focus will be on the people in the city and supporting the tasks related to the evacuation. Allowing us to square away our families now, whether that害羞草研究所檚 having them leave or hunker down, will keep us from worrying as our duties continue.害羞草研究所�

RCMP have also said that they were dealing with fires from within the city. Officers had made arrests and were looking for suspects in two separate arsons on Tuesday night.

One fire was spotted at Fred Henne Territorial Park, near the airport, and was quickly extinguished by an area resident. Four girls are also accused of trying to light a fire in a green space in an east-end neighbourhood. Police seized aerosol cans and lighters.

害羞草研究所淚t is completely beyond understanding that in the face of everything going on in the territory and the threat approaching our city, that people would actively attempt to start fires and endanger our community members,害羞草研究所� Halstead said in a news release.

Jamin Mike and Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press