The Canadian authorities said that wildfires in the Northwest Territories forced them on Friday to evacuate the entire town of Hay River, an area inhabited by about 4,000 people located on Great Slave Lake.

The government of the Northwest Territories ordered everyone in the town, including essential workers, to go to the city's airport and await further instructions.

The government of the Northwest Territories stated in a notice published at 3:23 PM local time: "Anyone who remains in Hay River takes responsibility for themselves... There will be no emergency services or response available."

Canada is experiencing the worst wildfire season ever, and in the past few days, more than 50,000 people, including all residents of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, have been forced to flee their homes.

The government later stated that postal services for many areas in the Northwest Territories have also been affected by the wildfires.