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The Hamlet of Fort Providence says residents should be prepared to evacuate on short notice as a wildfire burns nearby.
Susan Christie, the hamlet’s senior administrative officer, issued an evacuation alert for the community shortly after 4pm on Saturday afternoon.
An evacuation alert is one level before an evacuation order.
According to NWT Fire, naturally caused wildfire SS014 has burned 18,429 hectares since it started on July 7. The fire is classified as being out of control and is burning 14 km northwest of Fort Providence.
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The wildfire agency said on Friday that strong winds could cause the fire to approach Highway 3 over the weekend.
In an update on Saturday, NWT Fire said the wildfire had crossed the highway and is growing closer to Fort Providence. It said a structure protection team is working to set up sprinklers and water cannons to protect the community.
The NWT government closed a portion of Highway 3 between Fort Providence and and the junction with Tłı̨chǫ Highway 9 on Saturday afternoon.
Jean Marie River under evacuation notice
At 4:10pm on Saturday, Tthets’éhk’édélı̨ First Nation issued a new evacuation notice for Jean Marie River.
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The First Nation advised residents to keep a full tank of gas in their vehicle and be ready to leave if the threat level increases.
NWT Fire said naturally caused wildfire FS014 has burned 20,362 hectares since it began on June 27. It is classified as being out of control and is burning 12.5 km northwest of Jean Marie River and 22km southeast of Fort Simpson.
In its Saturday update, the wildfire agency said the fire had grown significantly due to extreme northerly to northwest winds.
NWT Fire said crews are bucketing the fire to limit growth to the south and ensuring it does not move closer to Jean Marie River.
Tthets’éhk’édélı̨ First Nation had lifted a previous evacuation alert for the community on August 22.
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