NWT Fire says due to heightened temperatures, fire activity has increased especially in southern regions of the territories including the Dehcho where Jean Marie River First Nation remains under an evacuation alert.
Mike Westwick, a fire information officer with NWT Fire, said crews are continuing to install structure protections around Tthets’éhk’edélî (Jean Marie First Nation) as part of multi-front work on a fire that persists about 14 km from the community.
Westwick says all regions are expected to experience a sharp increase in fire danger continuing through the week with temperatures rising in the South Slave and Dehcho and far above seasonal temperatures in the North Slave, Beaufort Delta, and Sahtú.
“We could really see some pretty extreme temperatures approaching 30 degrees and winds mostly from the south. Specifically fires that folks will see be much more activity in the next couple of days is that fire (ZF015-25) along Hwy 3,” said Westwick.
“We saw that fire’s behaviour begin to pick up yesterday, for sure. And it’s going to pick up a lot more throughout the week. Our teams are out there working to protect cabins and other values on the land, but folks should expect to see smoke and at times active flame along the highway there if they’re travelling between Behchokǫ̀ to Fort Providence,” he added.
Smoke from wildfires is causing poor visibility and also poor air quality throughout the NWT including in the city of Yellowknife and the town of Hay River among a number of other communities.
NWT Fire issued a fire weather advisory beginning today, warning of increasing temperatures, drying, winds and lightening in the next few days.
DEHCHO
The wildfire in the Fort Liard complex continues to be priority for firefighters. At it’s closest point, the fire remains about 14 km from Jean Marie River First Nation, 21 km east on the far side of the Liard River and about 14 km east of Fort Simpson Ferry Landing.
At 7 p.m., NWT Fire issued an update on the fire, saying an ignition operation is underway to the south of the fire front at FS014.
“Operations are currently going according to plan. With southerly winds, the intention is for the ignition to push north to the main fire, burn off vegetation in its path, and head off the fire’s southward growth to protect Jean Marie River. No threat to Fort Simpson or the ferry landing at this time,” said officials.
NWT Fire said that the proximity of the fire to the community remains a concern. A structure protection team, structure protection trailer, and structural firefighters from Fort Smith and Fort Simpson along with NWT Wildland crews continue to work around the community of Jean Marie River to setup sprinklers.
Westwick told True North FM that crews are continuing to mobilize multi-front work on the fire.
“Lots of folks working in the community to prep and today we’re seeing winds transitioning from to a more southerly direction, south to southeast. Basically what that means is we would expect the fire to push back on itself, not advance closer to Jean Marie River. The other thing that it opens the opportunity for is for us to pursue an ignition operation, basically burning off from the containment line that we’ve been building with fire retardant tying into natural features there an ignition operation to burn, back into the main fire and cut off its path,” said Westwick.
With Jean Marie River First Nation on an Evacuation Alert, Westwick advises community members to keep vehicles full of fuel and have any important belongings prepared and packed to go.
“Make sure you have your go bags packed up, with important things like prescriptions, important documents, things like insurance and anything personally, precious to you, important memories and keepsakes and the like those are all good things to have packed up and ready to go in a moment’s notice in the case that that you do have to leave,” said Westwick.
Westwick emphasized that community members should keep updated with the latest information about the fire by check the community’s social media pages and visiting NWTFire.com’s facebook and website.
Jean Marie River First Nation officials urged the community to keep informed and prepared in case conditions change.
An alert may be followed by an Evacuation Order with specific information on the condition, when to evacuate and directions.
“Information on the evacuation location and travel information will be provided if an evacuation order is issued,” said community officials when the alert was issued.
Officials advised community members to check the community Facebook Page, to listen to the radio station 101.9 and to check community information boards for updates.
Updates are also available on GNWT’s Alert pages webpage and the GNWT Fire Map.
NWT Fire assured that the village of Fort Simpson is not currently at threat due to the wildfire.
“We do not expect the fire to come within 10km of either during the burning period, and would not expect it to reach the area,” said officials.
“Tomorrow, winds are expected to shift to the southwest. This could see fire move to the north and east, rather than the north and west as today’s south to south east winds are pushing the fire. Throughout the rest of the week, winds are not expected to push fire towards Fort Simpson,” said crews.
NWT Fire assured the Liard River offers protections against wildfire.
“It is a 700 metre wide break in fuel, and in riparian zones (areas along the banks of water bodies like rivers and lakes), the fuel burns with less intensity because of the shrubs, grass, and deciduous species which tend to grow in these areas,” said officials.
“There is also a burn from 2021 at the northernmost edge of the fire which has held throughout the response to this wildfire which offers protection to Fort Simpson from this wildfire,” explained officials.
Today, airtankers completed work connecting natural, fuel-free barriers using fire retardant to the south of the wildfire to build a containment line to stop southward spread. Helicopters are also making bucket drops on hotspots to bring down the fire’s intensity.
The fire (FS009), which is located to the east of Fort Liard, again showed subtle activity.
“Throughout this week, we do expect to see activity pick up as temperatures reach highs between 25-30 degrees and the area begins to dry out,” said NWT Fire today.
Crews carried on maintaining structure protection at Bovie Lake, along the Liard Highway, and on critical infrastructure within the community of Fort Liard. Officials said the Incident Management Team continues to look for chances for ignition operations to ensure long-term protections for the community of Fort Liard.
Firefighters assured there remains no threat to communities or infrastructure due to these wildfires at this time.
There were three new fires in the Dehcho region today, said Westwick.
One new lightning-caused fire (FS030) located about 33 km northeast of Fort Liard was caught small yesterday, said NWT Fire.
“(O)n initial attack and has held at less than 1 hectare. There are currently no threats to communities, cabins, or infrastructure due to this wildfire,” said officials.
Another new lightning-caused fire (FS029), located about 17 km east-southeast of Highway 7 at Nahanni Butte Winter Road access, is also less than 1 hectare in size.
“Initial attack has held the fire at less than 1 hectare for now. There are currently no threats to communities, cabins, or infrastructure due this wildfire,” said NWT Fire.
NORTH SLAVE REGION
Westwick also reported that the wildfire located about 3 km west of Hwy 3 (ZF015-25) which had grown from 23,116 hectares in size to 31,046 hectares last week, is showing increased fire activity.
NWT fire has advised that it is likely significant activity on this wildfire will persist throughout this week as weather conditions heat up.
Officials reported that the fire is most visible between KM 150-190 on Highway 3.
“It is expected we will see significant activity on this wildfire throughout this week as conditions heat up. Crews continue work to maintain structure protection on cabins in the area. Smoke and visibility challenges are likely for travellers – drive with caution, follow directions from any staff in the area, and be aware that wildfire crews and water tenders are working to protect cabins along the highway – so be especially careful and considerate to keep our people safe,” said NWT Fire today.
Officials advise travellers to check conditions on roadways using DriveNWT.ca
The wildfire near Campbell Lake and east of Hearne Lake and Watta Lake Lodge (F024-25) is expected to see increased fire activity over the next few days as the weather heats up, said Westwick.
“There are a lot of barriers to spread to the north which with southerly winds, that’s where the fire would want to go. We’re continuing to work to proactively protect cabins lodges and the lake in that area. That’s been our approach on that fire,” he said.
“Fire activity is expected to pick up throughout this week as conditions heat up. Lodges at Hearne and Watta Lake are not at threat due to this wildfire. Crews continue to maintain sprinklers in the area proactively and are looking for any additional hotspots nearby structures to avoid flare-ups. Additional lodges and values on the land are being assessed and protected with sprinklers as required to prepare for the long-term management of this wildfire,” said NWT Fire today.
One new fire (ZF038) was spotted near the Edzo Airport.
“This wildfire was caught quickly after a public report and brought under control between last night and today thanks to fast action by crews. There are no threats to communities, cabins, or infrastructure,” said NWT Fire.
SOUTH SLAVE
The fire (SS014-25) located about 27 km northwest of Fort Providence is showing “rapidly increasing” fire activity, said NWT Fire.
“(C)rews have pulled back and are running sprinklers at nearby values to the northwest of the fire to protect them. There is a large smoke column visible in Fort Providence and to travellers on Highway 3. However, the winds are pushing the fire away from the community. The smoke column looks much closer than it is – the fire remains about 27 km northwest of Fort Providence. The community of Fort Providence is not at threat – there are swamps and other barriers to fire spread to the south. There are no threats to communities or infrastructure due to this wildfire at this time,” said officials.
The SAHTU and BEAUFORT DELTA
“Across most of our regions certainly we’re seeing some smoke develop. In the Beaufort Delta, from fires that have been active in there. We’re going to be actioning EV-020 (about 72 km northeast of Inuvik). It’s showing some activity again, just to keep that small there. We’ve got lightning rolling through the Sahtu region which could lead to some new starts,” said Westwick.
Officials assured that the fire does not currently pose a threat to communities or infrastructure.
NWT Fire ask anyone who would like more information to head to www.nwtfire.com or reach a Wildfire Information Officer at 867-445-5484 for updated information on the wildfire situation.
Officials urged residents to be mindful of campfires and bans in place.
Fort Simpson is among the communities with a full fire ban in place. Hay River is among the communities with a partial fire ban in place.
