KFN, Hay River wildfire in holding pattern as crews continue to fight the flames
CBC
A wildfire raging near the Kátł'odeeche First Nation reserve and Hay River remains "out of control" as of Saturday morning, according to the N.W.T.'s fire information officer.
Mike Westwick told the CBC's Jared Monkman on The Weekender that the fire has grown to about 2,927 hectares.
On a somewhat positive note, he added that crews fighting the blaze had a slightly better day on Friday than anticipated, thanks to some "very slight, unexpected rain and lower consistent winds than expected."
"It was still an active fire day … but these changes did provide a solid opportunity for us to get some work done," Westwick said.
Air tankers and helicopters were able to slow the growth of fire towards Highway 5 on Friday evening, Westwick said, keeping the road open and in-tact.
Still, he continued, there's a tough slog ahead for crews.
Wind is expected to blow southeast on Saturday, which could push the fire towards Hay River and Kátł'odeeche (though wind is expected to be less active than Friday), and there is limited rain in the forecast over the next few days.
Smoke has also blanketed the area, making for poor visibility and air quality.
In an update posted on it's Facebook page around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the Town of Hay River stated there had been "moderate growth" around the eastern and southern edges of the the burn area, but that crews had "good success" with managing the wildfire the day before.
They were able to bulldoze a wider access road into the reserve, offering Hay River better protection from the spread of flames, and planned to continue with that work throughout the weekend.
The town also said it was also expecting the arrival of a sprinkler system from Parks Canada on Saturday that would be deployed in areas of the community most vulnerable to a change in fire conditions.
When asked what advice he had for residents who might be out camping over the long weekend, Westwick urged people to use caution.
That includes making sure to properly put out any campfires, he said, and being aware of spark risks from ATVs or trailers.
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