Residents of western Canada scrambled to evacuate on Saturday as raging wildfires encroached on two metropolitan areas.

Thousands of people fleeing a wildfire on the outskirts of Yellowknife, one of the largest cities in Canada's north, have crowded into the local airport and the road out of town.

The federal government said that more than 300 firefighters from  the United States and South Africa are heading to Canada in the coming days to help battle fires during this unprecedented wildfire season.