Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 09/00) - There was lots left in the territorial fire fighting war chest this year, but just how much is anybody's guess.

A total of 276 fires burned 201,000 hectares of NWT forest this year, said Bill Mawdsley, acting director of forestry for the territorial government.

"That's about half the long-term average for area and about 40-50 fires below average," said Mawdsley.

The territorial government was unable to say how much less than the budgeted $8.6 million was spent on fire fighting or when the figures would be available.

Territorial firefighters and firefighting equipment was used to battle blazes in the U.S and other parts of Canada this year. The government will eventually be reimbursed .

Firefighting costs can vary widely from year to year. In 1998 the government spent $19.5 million, more than double its budget. An estimated $8.6 million was spent on fire suppression last year.

The factor that influences costs most is not the size or the number of fires but their location.

Because fires are a natural part of the life cycle of a forest, fire fighting efforts focus almost exclusively on blazes that threaten communities or threaten sites of historical or cultural value.

Most of the extra spending in 1998 can be attributed to the 165,000 hectare Tibbitt Lake fire.

The blaze destroyed some cabins, forced the evacuation of others and closed of the Ingraham Trail and territorial parks in the area.