Snare hydro fire now under control
Wildfire crept to within 12 km of power system and 5 km from transmission lines earlier in the week
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, July 3, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It was a close call but a forest fire that was threatening the Snare hydroelectric facility about 140 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife is now under control.
The only highway south out of Yellowknife was closed last Saturday when smoke and flames made it too dangerous to drive. - photo courtesy of Shaun Ouellette |
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) posted Wednesday on its NWT Fire Facebook page that fire ZF-018 is about 12 kilometres from the hydro facility and only five kilometres from power lines. Limited action is being taken on the fire by three crews and a mop-up crew of 18, the post stated.
The Snare hydro system provides power to Yellowknife, Dettah and Behchoko. It includes four separate hydro plants and about 150 kilometres of transmission lines owned and maintained by the NWT Power Corporation (NTPC).
"I've just been informed that the fire near Snare is under control and in the mop-up stage," stated a relieved Pam Coulter, manager of communications for NTPC in an e-mail yesterday.
NTPC is working closely and co-ordinating with ENR and is confident it is doing everything it can to protect the Snare assets, stated Coulter.
NTPC is taking all precautions to ensure Snare remains in operation, however, generation at Snare is already at a minimum due to current low water levels, Coulter stated.
"NTPC has enough diesel backup in Yellowknife to make up for any loss of the Snare system," said Coulter.
"If the transmission line or Snare went off line, Yellowknife would start additional diesel generators at Jackfish (Lake)."
Any time there is fire near transmission lines there is the potential for a brief interruption in service as additional generators are brought online, Coulter stated.
"Smoke and gas can be thick enough between the ground and the wires for the wires to trip offline," she stated.
Meanwhile, after fires closed the only highway south out of Yellowknife last Saturday and Sunday between Behchoko and Fort Providence, Highway 3 has remained open all week.
"We did have a fire burning on both sides of the road, although I can't say for sure that it jumped the road," said Gary Brennan, manager of finance and administration for the Department of Transportation in the North Slave region. The highway itself was not damaged and no road signs were lost, he said. The closure on Saturday was due to poor visibility due to smoke and the close proximately of the fire to the highway. Sunday's closure was to allow crews to conduct a prescribed burn to remove fuel out of the path of the fire.
Changing weather kept that from happening.
"No burnout operation is planned for the next couple of days," stated Judy McLinton, ENR's manager of communications in an e-mail to Yellowknifer yesterday. "Rain is forecast for the area tomorrow night and early Saturday morning. "If the burnout happens, it is likely that the highway would have to close again.
Highway 3 was closed due to smoke and fire several times last summer. The closure left many motorists stranded and led to produce shortages at grocery stores because the delivery trucks couldn't get to Yellowknife.
