Fire Ban

A Town of Fort Smith fire ban on open air fires is in effect within municipal boundaries and Queen Elizabeth Territorial Park. Camp stoves, enclosed BBQs and propane-fueled cooking and heating devices are permitted for use in NWT Parks. They must be placed within regulation fire pits and should not emit a flame more than 0.5 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres in height.

SS005-23 - Kátł'odeeche First Nation/Hay River Fire (May 29, 9:00am)

Evacuation order remains in place for  the Kátł'odeeche First Nation Reserve. The Town of Hay River remains under a precautionary Evacuation Alert. 

• Get the latest alerts: NWT Alert
• Get the latest public safety bulletins: GWNT Public Safety
• Follow community updates
  • Kátł'odeeche First Nation
  • Hay River

This wildfire continues to be classified as Being Held.

Priorities going forward

Our objectives are to:

• Fully suppress the fire – with priority placed on populated areas in the Kátł'odeeche First Nation Reserve to support a safe return.
• Hold our control lines to the south and east to prevent the spread of fire into continuous forest where it would be susceptible to easterly winds which would push it west towards the Town, the Reserve, and other residences in the area.
• Continue blacklining – extinguishing all fire within at least 100 feet of existing control lines – and moving further in as necessary.
• Address remaining hotspots and transition to mop up

You can think of mopping up as a large-scale version of soaking, stirring, and soaking your campfire.

Crews will go through the area, look for hot areas, extinguish them, and turn over the dirt to make sure the area is cold.

Next update

Updates on this fire will be made as new developments occur. No news is good news.

Getting information

An Information Officer has been assigned to site to ensure timely updates. Members of the public and media can reach Mike Westwick, Information Officer, Kátł'odeeche First Nation/Hay River Fire at 867-688-0958 or Mike_Westwick@gov.nt.ca.

This update is a snapshot in time and the situation can change quickly. 

SS004-23

This lightning caused fire is currently 5356 hectares in size and approximately 100km west of Kakisa. It is currently being monitored. No cabins, communities, or infrastructure at risk.

SS008-23

This lightning-caused fire is located on the north side of Dogface Lake. It has merged with nearby SS009-23, and is now a combined approximately 63,370 hectares. It is being monitored.

All other active fires are under control or being monitored.

Wildfire smoke

Here is information on precautions you can take to deal with wildfire smoke:

• Wildfire Smoke Information
• Wildfire Smoke and Your Health - Air Quality Self-Assessment Method
• Smoke Exposure from Wildfire: Guidelines for Protecting Community Health and Wellbeing

What to do based on fire danger

Here’s some advice to follow based on fire danger levels in your area.

• Low: Have campfires and burn with regular caution. Fires may still start easily, but it is less likely to grow and spread. 
• Moderate: Take extra caution by keeping campfires and burn piles as small as possible. Fires may start more easily and have a higher chance of growing and spreading.
• High: Do not have any fires unless it is necessary for food or warmth. Keep them as small as possible. Pay special attention to anything else nearby that embers from your fire could hit. Consider using contained flames, like propane stoves or barbecues, for your cooking needs. There may be fire restrictions in place because at high fire danger, there is a good chance fires will start easily, grow quickly, and challenge firefighters trying to fight them.
• Extreme: Do not have campfires or burn things unless there is no other choice for food or warmth. Use contained flames like propane stoves or barbecues for food whenever possible. At extreme fire danger, forests are very dry and it is likely fire will start easily, spread quickly, and cause real challenges for firefighters when they need to be fought. Hunting, fireworks, campfires, or other burning may be restricted.