While diamond mining operations in Canada’s Northwest Territories are unaffected by the wildfires scorching the region, De Beers and Burgundy Diamond Mines say they are assisting their employees who live in Yellowknife and have been ordered to evacuate.

Officials have urged about 20 000 residents of Yellowknife to evacuate as wildfires pose a “real threat to the city”.

In a statement on Thursday, Anglo American’s De Beers said that while the Gahcho Kué mine and Snap Lake project were more than 200 km away from the wildfire area, Yellowknife was home to more than 200 of its employees.

The company was working to support employees affected by the evacuations to enable them to be with their loved ones during this time, while operations and activities at both mines were ongoing, De Beers said in a statement.

Burgundy Diamond Mines on Friday also confirmed that its Ekati mine remained unaffected by wildfires, noting that it was about 300 km from Yellowknife and that the closest wildfire to Ekati was about 135 km from the mine site.

“Burgundy Diamond Mines leadership team has been and will continue to work with the government of the Northwest Territories to assist with wildfire response efforts and is supporting several team members who live in evacuated regions. We have contingency plans in place to maintain continued operations and to provide alternate work arrangements for those who are personally affected by the wildfires,” the miner said in a statement.

“Burgundy Diamond Mines remains committed to supporting its people who have been affected by the wildfires and will continue to monitor and provide updates on the wildfire situation.”

The miner earlier this year moved to acquire full ownership of the Ekati diamond mine after shareholders approved the $136-million deal and the $150-million conditional placement to finance the deal.

The fires in the Northwest Territories are among the more than 1 000 fires burning across Canada, as the country endures its worst fire season on record.  

Canada is facing one of its worst-ever fire seasons, with an estimated 13.7-million hectares burned so far this year. More than 20 000 people have been evacuated from the city of Yellowknife.

- By Marleny Arnoldi and Esmarie Iannucci