NWT records third-worst wildfire season this century so far

If you’re a Northwest Territories resident, how did the 2024 wildfire season feel compared to last year’s?

The season-end statistics from national firefighting agency CIFFC show nearly 1.7 million hectares of the territory burned in 2024, down from last year’s season-end figure of 4.2 million hectares.

Only 2023 and 2014 have been worse for the territory in terms of area burned.

There were far fewer evacuations this summer and while smoke was periodically a problem, disruption directly related to fires didn’t reach the level many communities experienced in 2023.

A large, long-lasting wildfire near the NWT-Alberta border menaced the highway all summer, while fires in northern BC similarly caused closures of the BC-NWT road link.

Fort Good Hope experienced the worst wildfire threat in the territory this summer, with residents forced to evacuate for weeks.

In the course of fighting that fire, helicopter pilot Tom Frith passed away – an incident that led to an order that all helicopter operators in North America replace or avoid using a specific line of parts.

Speaking in the legislature this week, environment minister Jay Macdonald paid tribute to the late pilot’s “selfless dedication.”

“To Tom’s family, friends and colleagues, our hearts are with you, and we share in your grief. His legacy will continue to inspire us,” Macdonald said.

The full cost of this year’s fires is not yet apparent.

Macdonald said the 1.7-million-hectare total represented the “most within any single jurisdiction in Canada and well above the territory’s 10-year average.”

The minister added that the GNWT is now approaching the federal government for $30 million to work on recommendations that came from a review of last year’s wildland firefighting efforts.

That review – which is separate to an ongoing, broader review of the entire GNWT response to last year’s fires and evacuations – resulted in a final report being issued in August.

Reviewers found that the NWT needs better fire modelling, more firefighters, more training and better coordination.

“To help us do this, the Government of the Northwest Territories has requested $30 million from the Government of Canada to support our efforts, given the challenges we face from a changing wildfire environment amidst a changing climate,” Macdonald said.

“We will continue to invest in our wildfire management program and team to ensure we are ready to face the challenge of future wildfires, which include enhanced work on fuel breaks, training and cross-training, planning, and preparedness.”