Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Aug 13/99) - The massive forest fire burning out of control in the Inuvik region posed its biggest danger so far last weekend -- threatening to cross the Dempster Highway and sparking talk of evacuating Tsiighetchic.

Officials from the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development said it was a combination of the rise in temperatures plus dry conditions and strong winds that saw the fire grow to cover an area of 100,000 square kilometres.

"Be advised that, due to smoke and forest fire conditions, the highway section between kilometre 143 and kilometres 200, in the Rengling River area, could temporarily close at little or no notice during the week," the Department of Transportation announced on Tuesday.

In fact, the Dempster did close temporarily Saturday afternoon when one section of the fire came within 50 metres of the highway at an area about 45 minutes from Inuvik.

Regional superintendent Gurdev Jagpal was on the site, monitoring the blaze from the back of his pick-up truck.

At one point, because of the strong winds, it looked like the fire was about to reach the roadside and jump the Dempster. But then, because of a shift in the wind and the lack of trees immediately beside the highway, the blaze began to slow, smoulder and creep parallel to the road -- sending only thick black clouds of smoke across it.

"The type of vegetation alongside the highway was bad for burning and didn't help the fire," Jagpal said Tuesday.

But the regional superintendent is only responsible for the Dempster. It's RWED that has been monitoring the fire itself.

RWED's regional superintendent is Ron Morrison, and he explained last week that the blaze first began, because of lightning, on June 18 -- almost two months ago. He said its officially known as EV006, EV standing for Inuvik and the 006 meaning its the sixth fire in the region this year.

It's also the biggest fire so far this year and one the department chose not to fight.

"If you look at this area, it's all water," said Morrison, showing a satellite image of the lake region southeast of Tsiighetchic where the fire began.

Morrison said because it got so big so fast -- and mainly smouldered during a cool July -- and because it posed no immediate threat to people or habitation, the department decided to let it burn itself out.

"We're still taking a limited-action approach unless it threatens human life," said Morrison last Friday. "There's little reason to throw millions of dollars into it."

But Morrison said that in the case of isolated cabins or NorthwesTel communication towers, the department has been taking measures by clearing the surrounding the brush and setting up sprinkler systems that cover the area with fire-extinguishing foam.

Meanwhile, RWED's Mike Gravel and Rick Lanoville -- a fire-behaviour specialist from Fort Smith -- had their hands full throughout the weekend determining what strategies to take with the expanding blaze.

At one point on Saturday, residents of Tsiighetchic discussed the possibility of evacuation when the fire crept within eight kilometres of the hamlet.

That threat sparked a call for action Monday from Mackenzie-Delta MLA David Krutko.

"There is a real concern in the community that they may have to be evacuated if the fire gets any closer," he said. "The government should put whatever resources and manpower are necessary immediately to get the fire under control."

But speaking Tuesday, John Pisek from Municipal and Community Affairs and co-ordinator for Emergency Measures Operations said the situation wasn't as dangerous as it may have appeared.

"Eight kilometres was about a day's burn away from Tsiighetchic -- and even then that was only if the wind changed 45 degrees," he said. "Of course every community should have evacuation plans and take precautions...and we took a look at Tsiighetchic's emergency response plan a couple of nights ago."