Region sees three person caused fires in two days
Territorial government tells public to be vigilant about campfires
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Alarm bells are ringing after three wildfires suspected to have been caused by humans were reported in the Yellowknife area over the weekend.
Flames burn through trees on Pickerel Lake last weekend out the Ingragam Trail, about 50 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. No cabins were burned but ENR officials are concerned after this fire and two others in the Yellowknife area were apparently started by humans last weekend. - Photo courtesy of John Curran |
The forest-fire season the North Slave region has been relatively tame so far compared to 2014 and 2015. However, officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are pleading with the public to be vigilant when it comes to making sure campfires are not left unattended and are out when people leave them.
According to Richard Olsen, fire operations manager for the department, four of the five fires reported in the North Slave this season are suspected to be person-caused. He added there has not been much in the way of lightning-caused fires so far this year.
One of those ignited last Friday on the north side of Pickerel Lake out on the Ingraham Trail, about 50 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. There are a number of cabins in that area but there are no reports of any cabins burning, said Olsen. The fire was attacked both from the air and on the ground and as of yesterday, ground crews were mopping up, he said.
"It was called under control Saturday night," he said. "Crews worked on it all day Sunday ... I don't suspect that there is any smoke from that fire anymore."
Olsen said flames consumed about one-third of a square kilometre.
Last summer, a fire that started near Pickerel Lake spread quickly and eventually destroyed Namushka Lodge on nearby Harding Lake.
Another wildfire started Sunday in the city on an island on Frame Lake.
"That fire is currently under investigation to determine the cause and who did it," said Olsen. "They used a helicopter with a bucket to fight it. They did several drops and then the crews came in and called it out Monday morning."
There was third fire on Sunday - this one on Horseshoe Island in Yellowknife Bay, about three kilometres from Dettah. Olsen said water bombers and helicopters attacked that fire.
"All fires are being investigated and if anyone knows anything about them they can contact their local ENR office," said Olsen.
He added these were the first fires fought in the North Slave region with new water bombers purchased by the territorial government. The GNWT paid $26 million for the fleet of eight aircraft.
According to Olsen, there are still about six weeks of forest-fire season left in the North Slave. He said despite some light rain this week, the warm, dry conditions make forested areas ripe for wildfires.
Fire conditions currently range from high to extreme in the North Slave.
