In Grief For Yellowknife (Canada)

Look what climate change has done! Just a few years ago, The artiste's village of Choglamsar was destroyed in the massive mudslide in Ladakh and now massive fires are threatening the North West Territories in Canada, Yellow Knife, which has been evacuated, Fort Smith, Hay River the Katlodeeche First Nation, Enterprise & Jean Marie River...all have seen residents displaced because of out of control fires. And there are no refugee centres established yet. The fleeing residents are supposed to fall on their own resources, however little they may be, to be able to make the journey to towns like Alberta. But what of their lives there?

 I remember visiting these communities on our way to Yellow Knife...we were chasing the Northern Lights and the picturesque little towns on the way made the trip all the more worthwhile. We travelled through Enterprise, Hay River, Edzo, Behchoko, Fort Mackenzie river, the Great Slave Lake, stopping to photograph moose  crossing the highway. I am wondering what happened to our 25-year-old baker friend in Yellow Knife, who had opened his bed and breakfast for us. He was hard working and jovial and even had the patience to explain the process of baking to me. I do hope he and his family are safe. All these are memories now. When will humanity wake up to the destruction that their commercial activities have caused? 


My trip to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories



                                                        The Northern lights en route



        

                                                                Yellowknife in better days


                                                        Aurora Borealis above Native Teepees


           
                                                      Another view of Yellowknife
















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