Dozens of hospital, long-term care patients evacuated by Northwest Territories wildfires set to arrive in B.C.

Dozens of hospital patients and long-term care residents evacuated by wildfires in the Northwest Territories are expected to arrive in B.C.

B.C. Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, Bowinn Ma, addressed the "heartbreaking situation" during a news conference on Thursday, as more than 200 fires actively burn across the territory.

"In B.C., many people are familiar with the stress that comes with wildfires, with smoke, with evacuation orders. To the people from the Northwest Territories and throughout the north, our thoughts are with you during this difficult time," Ma said, adding that the territory has requested assistance from B.C. and Alberta.

"At this time, British Columbia is expected to receive approximately 55 hospital patients and care home residents with potentially more to come," she said.

The evacuated patients are expected to arrive at Vancouver International Airport, but it's unclear exactly when.

During Thursday's news conference, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix added that 22 of the 55 evacuees coming to B.C. are long-term care residents and the remaining 33 are hospital patients — including some pediatric patients.

"Staff from Vancouver Coastal, Fraser Health and Providence Health Care have prepared for this," Dix said. "We've already been through the patient charts to assign people."

Dix said most of the long-term care patients will be brought to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, while hospital patients will be assessed at YVR's operational centre upon arrival.

"BC Emergency Health Services is very much involved with Health Emergency Management BC and organizing patient transport at this time," Dix said, adding that the province is doing everything it can to support them.

"It's an extraordinary trip for someone from a hospital or a care home in the Northwest Territories to come down to Vancouver, and very difficult for the staff...And of course, mostly really challenging for the patients," he added.

Ma said the majority of evacuees from the territory are being sent to Alberta and other western provinces, but that B.C. is preparing to take in more evacuees "if needed."

"B.C. stands ready to provide further assistance to the Northwest Territories," she said. "At the same time, we are not letting up on our own wildfire season here in British Columbia. We are preparing for what may be difficult days ahead and we're ensuring that we have the resources to support people here in B.C."

According to the province, there are approximately 480 people under evacuation order and more than 4,900 people on evacuation alert in B.C. as of Thursday.