Some local health services resume, long-term care patients returning to Fort Smith, N.W.T.

Some local health services have resumed in Fort Smith, N.W.T., a little more than a week after they were suspended because of wildfires in the region.

A group of long-term care patients has also returned to the community, according to an update on Sunday from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA).

Meantime, the community is still under an evacuation notice — not an alert or order — as dozens of wildfires burn in the South Slave region, and the fire danger remains high. An evacuation notice means residents should be prepared for a potential evacuation. 

In a news release on Sunday, the NTHSSA said a phased reopening of local health services in Fort Smith was underway.

That means the local health centre will now accept in-patient admissions on a case-by-case basis. They were suspended on July 29, while the centre remained open for outpatient and emergency services.

"Repatriation of patients who are in other locations who may be appropriate to return to the community on an in-patient basis will be assessed on an ongoing basis," the release states.

Some long-term care patients are also being moved back to Fort Smith. Officials say they're assessing whether to continue moving more people back in the coming days. Families will be notified ahead of time, the release states.

The town of Fort Smith issued an evacuation notice for residents on July 29. The notice is a first step that would be followed by an evacuation alert, and then an order, if necessary.

The notice came shortly after news that people in the community's seniors' centre were being moved to Hay River out of an "abundance of caution." 

At the time, health officials emphasized that the moves were precautionary, and undertaken to minimize stress on resources. 

As of Sunday evening, the Fort Smith wildfire was burning about 23 kilometres northwest of the community. The community is not at immediate risk, officials said.