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Three days of wind from the north should push the Fort Liard fire “back on itself and discourage growth,” NWT Fire says.
Light rain fell in the area on Tuesday evening as the hamlet came through several days of unfavourable, gusty and warm weather without the fire advancing any closer.
Fire FS002 remains 19 km southwest of Fort Liard and hasn’t crossed the Liard River, a key objective that firefighters are trying to maintain.
Wednesday should start “a run of three days of more favourable winds,” NWT Fire said on Tuesday evening.
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“These will be conditions which will allow us to make good progress on this fire.”
Fort Liard has endured an anxious few days, watching the evacuation of Fort Nelson to the south and contending with the possible closure of surrounding highways – due to other wildfires – if the hamlet’s own residents had to leave.
Senior administrator John McKee said shifting road and fire conditions had complicated planning for any potential evacuation.
On Monday, with strong winds returning, Mayor of Fort Liard Genevieve McLeod had said “you can sense the tension” in the hamlet.
