Fire danger down across Deh Cho
Cooler temperatures, precipitation provide relief for firefighters
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 23, 2015
DEH CHO
The fire danger forecast across the Deh Cho region remains at medium going into the weekend but fire crews across the Northwest Territories are finally getting a chance to breathe.
From July 13 to 20, only two new fires were reported in the territory and none of those were in the Deh Cho.
In total, the Deh Cho has seen 81 fires. Twenty-three are out, 50 are being
monitored and three are under control.
Richard Olsen, manager of fire operations with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said on July 20 that nearly all the fires in the Deh Cho are out or under control.
"Last week, we finished up work on (the fire) near Jean Marie River," he said.
"The fire is currently under control and we're pretty much just monitoring it right now, scanning it every couple days. If nothing shows up on that fire, we'll eventually be calling it out."
Likewise, fire crews had success with the Antoine Lake complex of fires south of Fort Simpson. Olsen said the largest fire, which at one point grew to 100 square kilometres in size, is currently being monitored.
"We're all done with those fires in terms of the action we're going to take," he said.
"Our main objective (on the largest fire) was to do some work on the north side and leave the south side to burn itself out."
A fire near Kakisa has also been declared under control.
Meanwhile, crews have contained a few fires near Fort Providence. A fire north of the hamlet is under control and a larger fire to the west has also successfully been actioned.
"That fire is currently just being monitored at this point in time and is not expected to grow in any significant way," Olsen said.
"All our work around Fort Providence and Kakisa right now has essentially been completed."
Weather has been partly to blame for the downturn in the fire season. Cooler temperatures have prevailed across the Deh Cho region and the Fort Simpson area experienced days of heavy rainfall.
"(We don't expect) any significant drying until sometime next week," Olsen said.
"Compared to last year, I think we're well ahead of the game. Things are looking really good.
As of June 20, there were 205 fires in the NWT with 147 still burning. In all, 5,450 square kilometres of forest have burned.
