Fort Smith, N.W.T., man arrested after 'interference' with firefighting efforts

Police have arrested a Fort Smith man after he allegedly "intentionally collided a piece of heavy machinery with another piece of heavy machinery which was being used to prepare wildfire defences." 

There were no injuries in the incident. 

Fort Smith RCMP also say they received multiple complaints of the man, 67, allegedly threatening wildfire crews in the community last Wednesday.  

Police say heavy smoke prevented officers from returning to the community until last Friday. 

RCMP say they arrested the man and he was brought to Yellowknife, even though that city is under an evacuation order. N.W.T. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Matt Halstead said the man was brought to Yellowknife "out of necessity," and left the city the next day on an evacuation flight.

"The Fort Smith detachment is not fully operational due to wildfire risk so he had to be taken out of the community," said Halstead. He said at the time of the incident, the pilot flying out of Fort Smith was nearing the end of their flight hours, and it made the most sense to land in Yellowknife.

"It was always the intent to connect this man with a evacuation flight and Yellowknife was the safest location that is offering evacuation flights for non-essential residents," he said.

The man is charged with assault with a weapon and mischief endangering life. He was released on the condition that he not return to Fort Smith until the evacuation order in the community has lifted. 

A date for a court appearance has not yet been determined.