The government is currently combatting three wildfires in the Northwest Territories, with human activity being the cause of two of them. One of the human-caused wildfires in the South Slave region has been contained. This particular fire, equivalent to the size of a large house at approximately 0.0001 square kilometers, ignited on Monday and is described on the Environment and Climate Change website as an “escaped campfire.”
In addition to this, authorities are also dealing with an uncontrolled overwintering fire spanning around 0.05 square kilometers in the South Slave region, which began on May 9. An overwinter fire is one that remains dormant or unnoticed for a significant period after its ignition. This specific fire was detected through infrared scanning around the perimeter of last year’s Fort Providence wildfire. Firefighters are currently targeting hotspots identified by scanning and utilizing heavy equipment to eliminate any remaining heat. Fortunately, there are no immediate threats to Fort Providence, cabins, or infrastructure from this fire.
Another “out-of-control” wildfire, measuring 0.001 square kilometers (similar to a Canadian Football League end zone) in the North Slave region, began on Saturday and was also attributed to human activity. Fire officials had previously cautioned about the potential challenges of this year’s wildfire season due to persistent drought conditions in certain parts of the territory.