Risk Studies Forum.

The Canadian Northwest Territories are in grip of more than 200 wildfires. Thousands of residents are rushing to evacuate the area. Many face dangerous road conditions or stand in line for hours for desperately needed emergency flights to flee. Evacuations were also under way in British Columbia, CNN reports.

Authorities have ordered the residents of Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories – home to about 20,000 – and several other communities to evacuate as crews battle 236 active wildfires. Yet another massive fire creeps toward the city and a major highway.