22-hectare wildfire west of Fort Smith, N.W.T., 'out of control'

A second wildfire has been reported near Fort Smith, N.W.T.

According to N.W.T. fire, it's approximately 16 kilometres west of the town, just past Bell Rock along Highway 5. The fire started in a field of grass on private property and has spread.

The local fire department and wildfire crews were on scene early Friday evening, and TDC Contracting water trucks were also seen entering the property. According to Mike Westwick, an N.W.T. wildfire information officer,  the fire is estimated to be 22 hectares in size.

Westwick said the fire is suspected to have been caused by an escaped burn pile. The fire is classified as out of control, but does not currently pose any threat to the town of Fort Smith.

"That means that we haven't successfully built a perimeter that's limiting the spread but progress is being made by crews on the ground," he said.

Smoke and fire are visible from the town and along the highway but there are no highway disruptions yet. The wind is pushing the fire south toward the Slave River but Westwick said that can change fast.

He said that two wildfire crews are on the fire with assistance from an aircraft and bulldozer and that protecting cabins, residences, the highway, and fibre infrastructure nearby are their priorities.

"We are very alive to the fact that there are a whole lot of cabins and residences nearby and our team is working really, really hard to fight that fire," he said.

Westwick added that wildfires caused by people are often more dangerous than lightning-caused fires. Lightning-caused fires usually ignite in the backcountry, whereas person-caused fires are generally closer to cabins and other infrastructure.

"Our key message this weekend is that the southern part of the territory is set to see some really, really hot and dry weather. We really need your help to not cause needless person-caused fires," he said.

This fire comes just after the territory's Department of Environment and Climate Change announced the first forest fire of the season 30 kilometres northeast of Fort Smith. They called the fire a holdover fire, which means it stayed active under snow over the winter.

They said the fire was one hectare in size and that there were no threats to the community, nearby cabins, or infrastructure.

For the latest information about highway conditions near fire SS002-23, visit the territory's highway conditions page here.