The next 48 hours are crucial in the battle against a wildfire on the outskirts of Yellowknife, officials announced in an update on Thursday.
As of Thursday morning, the fire, which is burning just outside the capital city, remained 15 kilometers away from Yellowknife. However, officials expressed concerns about rapidly deteriorating conditions in the area.
High temperatures, low moisture levels, and brisk to heavy winds were predicted to exert “significant pressure” on the eastern perimeter of the fire in the North Slave region on Thursday and Friday.
The government of the Northwest Territories emphasized the importance of the next 48 hours in reducing the threat to the capital region. There’s a possibility of the fire escaping the perimeter and spreading eastward.
Over 20,000 Yellowknife residents were evacuated from their homes last week due to the fire, which continues to pose a threat to the region.
The territorial government’s fire danger forecast rated the fire risk conditions in Yellowknife as extreme for Thursday and Friday. Nearby, in Behchoko, extreme fire risk conditions were expected from Thursday through Saturday.
However, officials stated that over the next three days, it’s unlikely that the fire near the communities will reach the outskirts of the capital city and that it has been “held at bay.” The success was attributed to the efforts of over 320 personnel on the ground, including Canadian Armed Forces members, support from 13 helicopters, contractors assisting with community protection, structural firefighter support, and some recent rainfall.
Officials anticipate occasional flare-ups and fire burning through treetops in Yellowknife in the coming days. In Behchoko, the risk was considered “minimal,” with occasional flare-ups expected due to the warm, sunny weather in the forecast.
According to the latest update from the government of the Northwest Territories, the fire had reached a size of approximately 1,741 square kilometers.
Fires also posed an extreme fire threat to several communities in the South Slave region.
- In Hay River, extreme fire danger conditions were expected for Thursday and Friday.
- In Fort Smith and Fort Providence, the extreme fire danger forecast extended from Thursday through Saturday.
- In Enterprise, the fire danger forecast was rated as extreme for Friday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a fire known as “SS052” was about eight kilometers south of Hay River, 10 kilometers south of the Katlodeeche First Nation, and 14 kilometers from Kakisa. It had “breached” and “significantly damaged” the community of Enterprise.
Officials reported increased fire activity in the southeast end of the fire since Tuesday, necessitating additional assets in that area.
Another fire, named the “Wood Buffalo Complex,” remained approximately four kilometers south of Fort Smith as of Tuesday afternoon. It covered an area of about 4,530 square kilometers.
Despite the overall growth of the fire, there was no significant movement toward Fort Smith on Monday night, according to the territorial government. They emphasized that the lack of change in distance did not indicate the fire was not growing or that the threat had diminished.
Approximately 308 personnel, 24 helicopters, and 57 pieces of heavy equipment were deployed to extinguish and slow the spread of the Wood Buffalo Complex fire, officials added.