Hay River (Jan 31/05) - There are no natural disasters facing the NWT on the scale of the recent massive tsunami in Southeast Asia, but nature can be dangerous in the North in different ways.

Kevin Rowe, community emergency measures co-ordinator with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, says the three main threats facing the NWT are forest fires, floods and power failures during severe winter weather, such as occurred in Fort McPherson last year.

"You can't plan for everything, but if you plan for things you're likely to be hit with, you will probably be ready for everything," Rowe said.

Each community looks at its particular situation and prepares for danger accordingly, he added. No community in the NWT has to plan for something as unexpected as a volcano, Rowe noted.

"If we have a volcano erupting here in the NWT, chances are something has gone terribly wrong with the world."

However, he noted, there are occasional minor earthquakes, caused by a fault in the Mackenzie Mountains.

One NWT community that faces an annual threat of natural disaster is Hay River, with the spring break-up of the river which gives the town its name.

"We have everyone prepared for the annual break-up, but it could be anything," said Coun. Robert Bouchard. He is council's liaison with the town's Emergency Measures Operation (EMO) committee. "I would say we're probably one of the more prepared communities because of that annual event."

Bouchard said Hay River witnesses the power of water, but nothing near the devastation of the Asian tsunami.

"We have experience with the force of water and what it can do," he said, noting that logs in the Hay River are tossed around like toothpicks during break-up.

Following the 2003 flood, the town examined its response and made some changes. Most notably, berms at the West Channel were raised.

Bouchard noted that Hay River was hit by a major flood in 1963.

Since then, any new buildings have to be above the high-water mark of that flood and the town has grown beyond of Vale Island.

"That '63 flood did shape us," Bouchard said.

Tausia Lal, acting senior administrative officer of the Deninoo Community Council in Fort Resolution, said emergency preparedness was discussed at council's Jan. 6 meeting.

She said the renewed interest is partly because of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

"When things like that happen, it makes you take a look at what you have," Lal said, noting that could mean things like ensuring everyone understands the lines of communication.

"I think we're as ready as we can be," she said.

The most likely potential disaster facing Fort Resolution is forest fire, Lal said. "It could be anything, but fire is a big one for now."

In Fort Smith, forest fire is also the main threat hanging over the community.

"It's a big problem, that's for sure," said Mayor Peter Martselos.

Because of its sandy ground, Fort Smith also has to deal with the occasional landslide. A major slide in 1968 killed one person.

Martselos noted that last summer the highway to Fort Smith was often closed by forest fires in Wood Buffalo National Park.

"Last year was a very intense situation," he said.

The closest Fort Smith has ever come to being evacuated was in 1981 when a forest fire approached from the west.

Rowe said the territorial government would organize the evacuation of any community. For example, he said, if a forest fire was approaching Lutsel K'e, the elderly and the young would be evacuated first as the smoke thickened.

A general evacuation would then be handled by the Department of Transportation, which would arrange aircraft or boats to move people to Hay River or Yellowknife.

There is a role for individuals in preparing for emergencies, by creating their own personal survival kits, for example, Rowe said. The kit should contain such things as a three days' supply of food, extra clothing and money, he said.

One lesson to learn from the Asian tsunami is that many survivors were left with nothing, he said.

"That's where a personal survival kit is critical."

Rowe noted some people also died in their homes during the ice storm that hit Ontario and Quebec four years ago.

"I don't want people to be scared by it," he said. "Just be aware that things can happen and take basic precautions to minimize the risk."

Rowe noted that, because Northerners spend so much time on the land, many already have emergency equipment, such as sleeping bags.

"We sort of are prepared without thinking about it."