Rain abates last week's fire threat
Hay River, Jean Marie River residents say they're still nervous about blazes
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Monday, July 6, 2015
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Although cooler weather and some rain have helped improve the forest fire threat in the Hay River area, the town's fire chief is not prepared to say just yet that they have dodged a bullet just yet.
"Not even close. When that fire is out I'll make that statement," Fire Chief Ross Potter said July 3.
"Things have been better this week but people are still worried. We're providing residents with as much information as we possibly can but you can't tell what the fire is going to do. "It's all entirely dependent on the weather. We're still concerned. But we did have rain Thursday night and Friday morning so that's really helping."
A voluntary evacuation was lifted June 30 for the Paradise Valley and Patterson Road area of Hay River. It had been enacted the day before after winds shifted, causing concerns the fire could reach that part of the community.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) stated on its Facebook page on June 3 that there are actually two fires making up what they are calling the paradise complex.
"The complex received rain Thursday. A burnout operation on Highway 5 is postponed until next week when conditions are expected to be more favourable," The ENR post stated.
Crews continue mopping up the area from Enterprise to the Paradise Valley subdivision area and reinforcing control lines in preparation for the burnout operation next week.
Potter said the ongoing municipal strike in Hay River has not affected the fire department's operation.
"It has had absolutely no effect whatsoever. The services group is non-union and most of it is volunteer aside from myself and the emergency measures organization - same thing," he said.
"The labour dispute has no effect with what's going on."
Two other NWT communities - Jean Marie River and Fort Simpson - were threatened by fires last week but rain and cooler temperatures have doused the threat.
Crews continued to make good progress on the fire four km west of Jean Marie River July 2, stated ENR via Facebook on the same day but the department warns the fire still poses a threat to the community.
Gladys Norwegian, the chief of Jean Marie River, said they were told by ENR officials on June 28 to be in evacuation mode.
"Those instructions are still semi-in place," she said. "I think initially people were kind of concerned but nobody really expressed that they were worried. We got some rain but not as much as we hoped."
The entire community is very appreciative of the hard work fire crews have put in particularly during some very hot weather last week, Norwegian said.
"I'd like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to them."
The four fires burning near Fort Simpson are being referred to as the Antoine complex by ENR officials. The complex is about 25 km from the community and good progress has been made as crews dealt with hot spots July 3, ENR stated.
Two fires about 70 km south of Behchoko that closed Highway 3 on June 27 had not grown in size and were being monitored, ENR reported on July 3.
As of the same day, ENR reported that there have been 19 fires in total so far this season in the North Slave, 56 in the South Slave, 79 in the Deh Cho, 17 in the Sahtu and nine in the Inuvik area. ENR reported medium fire danger in Hay River and Fort Providence, and low fire danger in Fort Smith and Fort Resolution on July 4.
The fire risk remains high in many areas and ENR is pleading with residents to be very careful with campfires.
The Department of Transportation reported that all NWT highways were open as of July 3 but drivers were warned to expect adverse conditions caused by surrounding smoke and fires.
