Antoine Lake Complex (Fort Simpson - FS016-26/FS014-26)

Antoine Lake Complex ( Fort Simpson - FS016-26/FS014-26) - July 21, 2026 – 12:00 pm
 

Weather:

Today will be hot, with temperatures reaching 30°C. Light southeast winds will continue throughout the day, with gusts up to 20 km/h. There is a slight chance of an isolated showers near Fort Simpson late this evening. Overnight, scattered showers are possible as temperatures cool to around 17°C.

Wednesday is expected to be cooler, with a high of 24°C. A nearby weather system may bring scattered showers, higher humidity, and light, variable winds. While there is still some uncertainty in the forecast, conditions are expected to keep the wildfire threat lower than in recent days.

Incident Status:

• The Fort Simpson fire size increased due to growth on the north and south flanks. 
• Today marks the final operational day for the Yukon IA Mod crew and the BC Wildfire Rangers Unit Crew. Over the past two weeks, their dedication and hard work have played an important role in securing the fire perimeter, reducing fire activity, and helping create the conditions that allowed Fort Simpson residents to safely return home. We thank them for their contributions and wish them safe travels home.
• We are also welcoming back the Yukon First Nations Skookum and Bonanza unit crews who will be reintegrating back to the fireline today. 
• Lingering smoke is expected to keep temperatures cooler than recent days and may help reduce fire activity. However, if the smoke clears during the day, warmer temperatures and drier conditions could lead to increased fire behaviour.
• Aviation resources will be utilized when visibility improves. 
• Mop-up operations continue across the eastern flank of the fire and at the site of the 20 ha excursion. Crews are working to extinguish remaining hotspots, including deep ash pits and heat trapped underground in tree roots, stumps, and organic soil. This work is thorough and time-consuming but is essential to prevent the fire from reigniting and to ensure the area is safe.

Incident Actions:

• An infrared drone scan was completed on July 19. Scan results continue to show significant progress. A scan conducted approximately one week ago identified more than 6,000 heat signatures across the fire area. The most recent scan identified approximately 1,900 heat signatures, reflecting the continued success of crews locating and extinguishing hotspots. Crews will continue working to locate and extinguish these areas of heat as mop-up operations continue. Many of the spots that appeared are deep burning are require increased effort to extinguish.
• 22 personnel are assigned to FS014 to locate and extinguish hotspots along the perimeter of the north and east flanks.
• Crews are working north of the culture camp and engaging in direct attack operations. 
• Personnel are working on the excursion that occurred July 15 and continue to mop-up on both the north and south side of Highway 1. Excavators are being utilized to open deep burning berms to allow crews to extinguish hot spots. Crews will remain in place to patrol this area and ensure no hotspots are present. 
• An initial attack crew is working on the west side of Highway 1, north of the Highway junction, to target hotspots identified by the drone scan. 
• South of the 4 mile road, working toward the river, two 8 pack crews from Alberta will be mopping up beyond 100ft. 
• Wildland Urban Interface crews, with the support of 8 crew members from Alberta, will continue to perform tactical patrols in all neighbourhoods. 
• Danger tree Assessor and Danger Tree Fallers are continuing to support wildland firefighters and Wildland Urban Interface crews with operations. 
• For Notices, Alerts, and Orders updates, visit: https://www.gov.nt.ca/.../publi.../notices-alerts-and-orders

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Hall

Wildfire Information Officer
Antoine Lake Complex
sarah.hall@gov.bc.ca | 250-318-8375