Finance minister Caroline Wawzonek is asking evacuees to be patient with the GNWT as it figures out the next steps in the process.

SA国际影视传媒淭he GNWT is going to be as responsive as we need to be to a situation that is clearly evolving,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek during an update on the situation during a press conference on Aug. 22. SA国际影视传媒淲e simply cannot design programs to a situation we have not encountered before in the abstract.SA国际影视传媒�

She added work was happening behind the scenes to develop further support programs, but said public supports need to be fair and responsive. She reminded people the GNWT covered the costs of evacuation centres, flights out of the city and covered gas at the Steam River along the way. She highlighted the Evacuation Disruption Program, which she said was developed during the Hay River evacuation.

SA国际影视传媒淲e got folks out and weSA国际影视传媒檒l get them home, by air or ground,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e certainly wonSA国际影视传媒檛 leave anybody behind.SA国际影视传媒�

She said any evacuees who can seek shelter with family with friends should do so to save costs. She noted the focus now would shift to how to best take care of people staying in evacuation centres.

SA国际影视传媒淭he GNWT with our partners in Alberta will make sure everybody has a place to stay will have a place to stay and everyone who needs food will have food.SA国际影视传媒�

Wawzonek said the current programming the GNWT has is not designed for dealing with 68 per cent of the population evacuated.

SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 yet have that program and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 have that answer,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e going to have to figure this out. People wonSA国际影视传媒檛 get back unless they have funding.

SA国际影视传媒淥ptions are going to come to the finance management board and weSA国际影视传媒檒l work from that.

SA国际影视传媒淣o one is saying no.SA国际影视传媒�

Wawzonek added the costs of the wild fire facing the GNWT is already SA国际影视传媒渁stronomical.SA国际影视传媒�

She said cabinet would be asking the Legislative Assembly for a significant amount of money during the emergency legislative session being held Aug. 28. She said the amount of money cabinet would be asking the legislative assembly would be revealed then.

She said the GNWT was already meeting with the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and would be meeting with the Hay River Chamber of Commerce, as well as NT Tourism to determine their needs.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 some very active conversations happening right now,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding the process of establishing a new compensation program is already under way. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to determine what will work, what is appropriate and what will be responsive.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e realize people had to drive a long way and we realize people will have to drive back.SA国际影视传媒�

Wawzonek also hinted there may be items in the capital budget that may need to be slashed to cover the costs of both the wildfire response and the evacuation.

SA国际影视传媒淐osts are tremendous here and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 just the action weSA国际影视传媒檙e taking against the wildfire,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e going to have to look at what programs weSA国际影视传媒檙e offering. What construction projects have not started yetSA国际影视传媒�SA国际影视传媒�

Residents of Yellowknife were strongly advised to evacuate by their own means if possible.

Emergency Management Organization (EMO) information officer Jennifer Young said the evacuation order was written to give people options.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had to evacuate thousands of people at one time, so the order was to look at ways we could do that,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚n 48 hours we evacuated tens of thousands of people out of Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�

Young said people are free to move from evacuation centre to evacuation centre as needed.

SA国际影视传媒淲e just ask you de-register with the one you are currently in an re-register with the one you go to,SA国际影视传媒� she said. She noted details of the TerritorySA国际影视传媒檚 re-entry plan were in development and would be released soon.