Vuntut Gwitchin lifts evacuation order for Old Crow, Yukon

People are returning home to Old Crow, Yukon, after an evacuation order for the community was lifted on Monday.

The Vuntut Gwitchin government in Old Crow issued the evacuation order on Aug. 9 amid concerns over nearby wildfires, and weather conditions that threatened to make things worse. The fly-in community was also blanketed by heavy smoke.

In a notice posted online Monday evening, the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) said the evacuation order was repealed, a decision made with Yukon government emergency officials and on the recommendation of Yukon Wildland Fire Management.

"[Wildland Fire Management] has deemed it safe for VGFN citizens and other residents to return home," the notice reads.

The decision came a day after another evacuation order was lifted in Mayo, Yukon. That order had been issued on Aug. 6 as a nearby wildfire was approaching that community. Weather conditions have since reduced the threat, officials have said. 

An evacuation alert remains in place however for both Mayo and Old Crow, meaning residents should be prepared to leave again on short notice.

Not everybody left Old Crow when the evacuation order was issued. Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Pauline Frost said last week that 127 had people had been flown out — first to Inuvik, N.W.T., then on to Whitehorse — and a report posted by the First Nation on Monday said about 60 people had remained behind.

Some evacuees were expected to fly home on Tuesday, including essential workers such as community nurses.

The remaining evacuees will return on scheduled and chartered Air North flights starting on Wednesday. All have been staying in Whitehorse at hotels, or with friends or family, the First Nation has said.

The Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse had been set up as an evacuation centre with rows of cots, but the VGFN said no one from Old Crow had to stay there. 

The First Nation says it will pay for up to 50 pounds of freight for evacuees returning to Old Crow. Residents have also been advised that the local Co-op store will be low on perishable goods until Thursday or Friday because planes were not able to land in the community this past week.

Air North president Joe Sparling said on Monday that he didn't anticipate any trouble getting people home to Old Crow in the coming days. He said the airline has been able to manage things so far.  

"There are challenges associated with taking on extra flying during peak season on short notice, but we managed to get everything done in a relatively timely manner," he said.

"Certainly this summer seems to have created more challenges than any summers in recent memory, with respect to the wildfire situation," he said.

On Monday evening, Air North also helped move wildfire evacuees from Hay River, N.W.T., to Grande Prairie, Alta.