Residents in the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories were ordered to evacuate Wednesday night as wildfires neared the city of 20,000 people.

After days of smoky conditions caused by Canadian wildfires, some U.S. cities are looking to play it safe this Fourth of July with innovative alternatives to their fireworks displays.

Crews from Utah and California are headed to Montana to lend support in the battle against the state's wildfires, even as blazes rage back home.

Eastern states have been clouded in a smoky haze for days, and with the smoke comes poor air quality. People far away from the fires aren't ready for the breathing problems the smoke brings.

Buildings are concentrated in places that are likely to be hit by a disaster such as a hurricane, flood or wildfire, researchers found. That includes both urban and rural hotspots.

Two back-to-back wildfires have erupted around Los Angeles. And across the country, major wildfires are burning in a dozen states, including one of the largest in Colorado's history.