Curious about logistics of getting home to Yellowknife? Here's what officials say
CBC
With the evacuation order for Yellowknife, Ndilǫ, Dettah and the Ingraham Trail set to lift at noon on Wednesday, government officials have been quick to urge people to think twice about when they want to come home, given the lack of services that will be immediately available, and to have a solid plan in place for the journey there.
CBC North asked people to send us their questions about the return plan. We'll update this as we get more answers.
Q: How will the flights back to Yellowknife be organized?
The territory wants people to pre-register for flights back so they can develop a list of who needs a flight, and where they're currently staying. You can pre-register online, over the phone or by emailing a form.
Once they have flight information to share with you, they'll send it to you at least 24 hours before the flight, along with information about ground transportation to the airport.
You can bring two bags under 50 pounds, and your pets.
Q: For people who drove out but who don't have a ride back, are flights an option?
Yes. If you can't drive or catch a ride back, you can register for a flight.
Q: What about people who ended up in smaller centres like Whitecourt?
You qualify for flights, but if you aren't staying in a so-called "flight hub", the territory's website says you'll be responsible for getting yourself to the closest evacuation or reception centre. Once there, you'll be shuttled to the airport. On Saturday afternoon, James Fulford, incident commander with the Emergency Measures Organization, said they're working with Alberta to figure out where those hubs will be. He added that's a reason for people to register early, so authorities can figure out where everyone is.
Q: Once I've landed in Yellowknife, how do I get to my house?
Yellowknife city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said there will be lots of ground transportation to take people either directly to their homes or back to Sir John Franklin High School to pick up their vehicles. The Yellowknives Dene First Nation is also organizing buses to Dettah and Ndilǫ.
Bassi-Kellett said they are looking at the possibility of giving out taxi vouchers and providing ambulance support for people with mobility issues and they'll have more specifics available by the time flights roll around.
Q: When will commercial airlines be cleared to start flying back into Yellowknife?
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