Evacuation order issued for Hay River, N.W.T., as wildfire burns nearby
Fire crews were forced to pull back because of unsafe conditions
N.W.T. Fire says an out-of-control wildfire burning by Kátł'odeeche First Nation has "very likely" breached the community and damaged structures, and may have spread to Vale Island in Hay River.
The entire population of both communities — more than 3,500 people — have been ordered to leave for Yellowknife, a five-hour drive away.
In an update at about 12:30 a.m. Monday morning, wildfire information officer Mike Westwick said his department does not have a current assessment but believes the fire has breached Kátł'odeeche First Nation. He said there is a "very, very high" likelihood of damage.
"We're not going to be able to definitively assess the extent of that damage until later," he said.
Westwick said his department confirmed the fire jumped the Hay River to the west. He said they have received reports the fire may be burning near the graveyard on Vale Island.
"This was likely caused by embers being carried by the easterly winds, which hit the fire in the evening," he said.
"This is obviously an incredibly challenging situation for everyone involved ... but it's important to note that the extreme conditions and ferocious fire behaviour that we've been seeing over the past little while is also going to challenge firefighters."
Westwick said firefighters have had challenges accessing the fire in the cover of night, given that winds have been contributing to severe fire behaviour.
His department had to pull back its responders because of poor visibility and unsafe conditions.
He said the fire lines that crews had started to build around the fire have most likely been compromised as the fire grows.
"What we're very much focused on for the next 24 hours is getting a really solid assessment of where the fire is at currently and coming up with strategies and tactics that are going to allow us to do absolutely everything we possibly can to protect those communities, with the safety of firefighters and residents in mind," he said.
Head to Yellowknife, town says
In a brief post on Facebook shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, the town directed people to head to Yellowknife. Anyone who needs transportation can go to the Hay River Community Centre, the town said. The territorial government has said evacuees are going to the Yellowknife Multiplex.
In a follow-up post, the Town of Hay River said fuel would be available at Enterprise and Fort Providence, and that the propane system in Hay River had been shut down as a precaution.
The neighbouring community of Kátł'odeeche First Nation (KFN) issued an evacuation notice earlier in the afternoon, telling its community members to go to the Hay River Community Centre. Now, those people are being asked to flee a second time.
In a video shared live on Facebook shortly before 11 p.m., Kátł'odeeche First Nation Chief April Martel said the fire threatening her community had jumped the Hay River — which lies in between KFN and the Town of Hay River.
"The wildfire has jumped the river, it is now on the Hay River side, by the airport," she said.
What do we know about the fire?
As of 8:40 p.m., N.W.T. Fire said a team of four crews working on the fire had to pull back because of unsafe conditions, including low-lying smoke that was making it hard to see.
Throughout the day, those crews worked tirelessly to limit its spread, the update said. Helicopters and specialized firefighting planes called air tankers dumped water on the fire, which was "effective in reducing intensity."
Control lines — which are areas where burnable material has been removed or it's been soaked with water — had been build around 30 per cent of the fire, N.W.T. Fire said. But, it said, more work would be needed to bring the fire under control.
The fire had consumed 1 hectare of land in the morning — a figure that grew to 15 hectares by around noon, and to 65 hectares as of the 8:40 p.m. update.
Who's lending a hand?
Deninue Kue First Nation in Fort Resolution, N.W.T., which is a two-hour drive northeast of Hay River, said it's offering support to evacuees in the form of accommodations and an RV parking lot.
Big River Service Centre, the gas station in Fort Providence on the drive north to Yellowknife, said it's open to evacuees.
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