2 holdover wildfires near Fort Smith, N.W.T., don't pose risk

Two holdover wildfires near Fort Smith, N.W.T., don't pose any risks to the community, according to NWT Fire. 

They are the first wildfires reported so far this season. Holdover fires are ones that smoulder throughout the winter months and can flare back up once winter ends.

An update posted Monday morning confirmed that two crews and a helicopter are "taking action to put out deep-burning hotspots" outside Fort Smith. 

"These fires pose no risk to communities, cabins or infrastructure. They will be extinguished," the update read. 

The fires are identified as SS001 and SS002. 

SS001 is roughly two hectares in size and is 21 kilometres northwest of Fort Smith on the near side of the Slave River. 

SS002 is less than one hectare, 38 kilometres north-northwest of Fort Smith on the far side of the Slave River. 

Holdover fires 'very small,' to be expected 

Mike Westwick, the manager of wildfire prevention with the Northwest Territories government, said the two holdover fires are the first of the N.W.T.'s wildfire season. 

He also said they're to be expected. The first fires of last year's wildfire season were also overwinter fires in the South Slave. 

"They're very small," Westwick said. "Both are a fair distance away from Fort Smith."

Westwick said the holdover fires are on the edges of wildfires they saw burn last year, but the burning is happening in the soil. 

"They're working on exposing that heat, digging it up and getting water on it," he said. 

Westwick said the territory is looking looking at a wildfire season where "drought hasn't alleviated." Above-normal snow pack and above-normal precipitation would be needed to relieve the drought, but that hasn't happened, he said. 

"We're preparing for what could potentially be another challenging season," he said. 

Westwick said crews have been preparing for the season earlier this year. 

"Right now, our early season preparations are going according to plan."