Wildfire officials in the Northwest Territories are reporting that a community that has been evacuated for weeks due to a wildfire has received significant rain over the weekend. The town of Hay River, which has a population of 3,500, has been out of their homes for two weeks due to the ongoing fire threat. Unlike residents of Yellowknife, who will be allowed to return on Wednesday, the residents of Hay River will not be permitted to return this week.
Last week, N.W.T. wildfire information officer Mike Westwick issued a warning that Hay River could experience strong winds and high temperatures, which would worsen an already dangerous situation. However, according to an update from NWT Fire on Sunday, the area has received an estimated 17 millimeters of rain since Saturday evening. Combined with north winds, this precipitation will result in significantly reduced fire activity and little progression over the next two days. However, the update cautions that this will be the only rain in the forecast for a long period of time and expects clearing skies and warming temperatures throughout the week.
The update emphasizes the need for extensive work to extinguish the fire and remove forest fuel at the edge of the fire to prevent it from once again threatening Hay River. The edge of the fire is located just half a kilometer away from critical infrastructure and downtown, as well as near the main road in and out of town. The update also highlights that the area remains in extreme drought, with the drought code sitting at 800, where anything above 340 is considered extreme.
While residents of Yellowknife and a nearby First Nation are being told to plan for their return home starting Wednesday, residents who left on evacuation flights are encouraged to pre-register for return flights through the territory’s public safety web page or by phone. Additionally, efforts are underway to prepare the road route for Yellowknife residents to ensure fuel availability at the limited fuel stops along the way. Territory officials assure other communities that they are still working hard to fight the fire outside their areas and that their priority is to ensure a safe return home for all residents. They advise against heading to Yellowknife as the necessary supports may not be available.