Residents of Fort Liard and Fort Simpson say cell service and some internet access is returning after work to fix wildfire damage to fibre lines.
Cables carrying services to NWT communities were hit by fires in northern BC and along Highway 1 in the Dehcho.
Early on Sunday morning, residents in both Fort Liard and Fort Simpson told Cabin Radio most connectivity had returned.
On Saturday evening, Inuvik and some other communities in the territory reported the restoration of service.
“Long distance is restored across the North. Services in the Mackenzie Valley and Beaufort Delta regions of the NWT are working, however they are congested,” Northwestel stated at 8:15am on Sunday.
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“Our work today focuses on repairing more fibre damage in the NWT. Once that work is complete, services in all areas of the NWT should return to working normally.”
An air quality advisory is in place for Fort Simpson and Fort Liard.
“Smoke over southwestern parts of the territory will spread northeastward through today,” Environment and Climate Change Canada wrote on Sunday morning.
“Conditions over the Fort Liard and Fort Simpson regions should begin to improve tonight, however, smoke will likely impact areas around Great Slave Lake on Monday.”
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Highway 1 south to Alberta is open as of 8am. Pilot cars were due to resume operating at 10am in areas where fires continue to be a concern. The highway is also open through the Redknife River fire between Sambaa Deh Falls and Fort Providence as of 8am on Sunday.
Highway 7 at the BC border remains closed.
Saturday, a calmer and cooler day, led to far fewer wildfire concerns in the NWT after a dramatic and gusty Friday saw fires develop in several areas.
Fort Liard remains on evacuation notice, which is below evacuation alert and means residents should be prepared in case the situation worsens.
A wildfire was a little less than 20 km southwest of the community on Saturday, but had not crossed the Liard River to the eastern bank on which the hamlet rests.
