Wildfire forces evacuation of remote Northwest Territories village

The Northwest Territories government's website says the Dehcho fire is roughly seven kilometres west of the Fort Simpson Airport and remains out of control.

A remote community of the Northwest Territories was ordered late Sunday to evacuate as an out-of-control wildfire continues to burn nearby.

The territorial government’s website says the Dehcho fire is roughly seven kilometres west of the Fort Simpson Airport. Wildfire officials say the fire is about 4.2 square kilometres in size.

Officials with the Village of Fort Simpson said in a notice that the community’s roughly 1,300 residents should flee to the Multiplex Arena in Yellowknife, about 630 kilometres east of the village.

The City of Yellowknife, in a social media post, confirmed the Multiplex’s gym will act as a reception and lodging centre.

Fort Simpson officials said residents who wished to evacuate by plane should go to the local recreation centre. The last plane out was scheduled for early Monday, they said.

They also say people should have enough food, water and fuel for their families. The village says gas stations will remain open so residents leaving by road can evacuate safely.

A social media post from the territory’s wildfire authority says the fire hasn’t made significant growth towards the village. There have been no reported losses of infrastructure or structures.

“Airtankers and helicopters are hitting priority areas on the northern and northeast perimeter to suppress growth toward the community,” the post from NWT Fire says.

“Due to wildfire activity and limited safe access into the fireground, no ground crews are working on the fire today.”

An earlier evacuation alert, asking people to be ready to flee Fort Simpson, was issued after a fire was detected about 10 kilometres from the airport.

NWT Fire said dry conditions, with temperatures near 35 C and moderate winds gusting to 30 kilometres an hour, continued through much of Sunday.

A heat warning for the community was in effect Sunday, with Environment Canada predicting daytime temperatures to hover around 29 C on Monday.

The evacuation comes after three people were killed last week when a bird dog plane involved in fighting the fire went down about 50 kilometres from the village.

The crash prompted condolences from Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Kele Antoine, chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation in Fort Simpson, said in a Facebook post that the band will do what it can to support members through the evacuation order.

He also urged people look out for each other and be respectful.

“I will be remaining in Fort Simpson for as long as I safely can to assist with the evacuation efforts. If conditions require me to leave, I will drive to Yellowknife,” he said.

“Our community has faced challenges before, and we will get through this one together.”