Fire bans begin across southern Northwest Territories

Municipalities and territorial parks across the southern NWT are declaring fire bans as dry conditions trigger extreme fire danger ratings.

The Town of Hay River, followed by the Town of Fort Smith, declared a ban earlier this week.

On Wednesday, two of the South Slave’s territorial parks also initiated bans.

“Due to extremely dry forest conditions and the threat of wildfires, there is a fire ban in effect for the Queen Elizabeth and Little Buffalo River Falls territorial parks,” read an announcement from NWT Parks.

“Campstoves and enclosed BBQs are permitted. Also permitted is any device that uses propane to supply a burner for heating and/or cooking.

“Such devices, when in use, must sit within a firepit in a campsite or wayside park and the fire cannot be more than 0.5 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres in height.”

Fort Smith’s fire ban prohibits all outdoor burning, of any type, “due to extremely dry conditions and high winds.”

The ban in Hay River extends to any fire not in an approved backyard fire pit.

There is currently no such ban in Yellowknife.