The southeast flank of the Fort Simpson wildfire, designated as FS016 by the government of the Northwest Territories, is seen in a Sunday, June 28, 2026, handout photo published to social media. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout – NWT Fire (Mandatory Credit) – The Canadian Press
FORT SIMPSON — Canadian North Airlines says it’s cancelling all flights in and out of Fort Simpson, N.W.T., until July 18 due to a wildfire that forced residents from their homes last month.
The airline, which connects remote communities in the territories to hubs in the south, including Edmonton and Ottawa, says it will assess its schedule and make adjustments when it’s safe to do so.
An evacuation order was issued for the village of about 1,300 people on June 28.
Most residents have been staying at a gymnasium-turned-evacuation-centre in Yellowknife, nearly 700 kilometres east of Fort Simpson.
The wildfire is estimated to be about 150 square kilometres in size.
Kele Antoine, chief of Liidlii Kue First Nation, says one home in the community burned down on Saturday.
“The homeowner has been notified,” he said in a social media post Monday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this incredibly difficult time.”
He said 12 people who were still in the village left for Yellowknife on Monday afternoon.
“Thank you for making the difficult but responsible decision to leave while travel remains possible,” Antoine wrote.
“Our firefighters and emergency crews are risking their lives every day to protect our community. Let’s do our part by making safe decisions and allowing them to focus on fighting the fire — not rescuing people who chose to ignore an evacuation order.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2026.
The Canadian Press