North

Crews snuff out small wildfire near Whitehorse trailer park

Fires, sirens and bears: Crews put out a small fire in a wooded area near Whitehorse this weekend and the man who reported the fire was also chased by a bear.

Fire spotted between Northlands Trailer Park and Yukon River

Rick Massie of Whitehorse spotted this small wildfire and alterted authorities. (Submitted by Rick Massie)

Fire crews put out a wildfire that flared up in the woods near a Whitehorse trailer park Saturday.

The blaze was small, just 100 square metres, but fire officials said its location, between the Northlands Trailer Park and the Yukon River, had them worried.

"This fire was located in our critical zone, meaning it is the highest priority for fire suppression given its proximity to life and property," said Mike Sparks, a duty officer with Yukon Wildland Fire Management, in a news release.

"Fortunately it was extinguished without further incident, however it is a concern given the cause and location." 

Firefighters with the Whitehorse Fire Department and Yukon Wildland Fire Management extinguished the blaze.

The fire also helped make for an eventful afternoon in the woods for Whitehorse photographer Rick Massie. He tweeted that after reporting the wildfire with his daughter, they were chased away from the area by a bear, 

Officials said the fire was caused by human activity but did not give details. They said it's the second reported wildfire in Whitehorse and the third in Yukon this fire season.