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The NWT government says a major “ignition operation” – a controlled burn – on Tuesday to help protect Sambaa K’e from a nearby wildfire was a success.
Previous controlled burns had gone wrong when conditions rapidly shifted, leading in one instance to the destruction of a home in the Dehcho community.
But the June 13 operation went well, the GNWT stated in a Friday Facebook post that shared dramatic images of the controlled burn in progress.
The photos show huge plumes of smoke as the purposely set fire burns within sight of the community, just yards from the end of its airstrip.
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Conditions on the day ensured the fire moved away from Sambaa K’e rather than toward it. Two ignition specialists from Yukon were drafted in to help the NWT team carry out the work.
“This operation removed fuel along the outside of the community – strengthening existing control lines and giving the wildfire less vegetation to work with, should it approach the community,” the NWT’s wildfire agency stated.
Some rain has fallen in the area over the past day, and some six kilometres of fire breaks have been built stretching from the lake around the community’s perimeter.
Wildfire FS001, which has so far burned almost 350,000 hectares within the NWT alone and more in BC, remains out of control but hasn’t come any closer to Sambaa K’e than a point eight kilometres south of its boundary.
“The fire has not reached the community of Sambaa K’e. With forecast conditions and work completed so far, it is not expected to over the next three days,” a Thursday GNWT update stated.
