The City of Yellowknife says Nelson Johnson is no longer employed as its fire chief, with Rob Andrews taking over in an acting capacity.
Andrews is one of two deputy fire chiefs at Yellowknife’s fire hall.
Two people with knowledge of the situation said some city staff had been informed of Johnson’s departure by email earlier this week.
In a brief emailed response to Cabin Radio, city manager Stephen Van Dine confirmed Johnson is no longer with the city. No reason was given.
In an earlier statement, a City of Yellowknife spokesperson wrote: “As a matter of policy and respect for the privacy of individuals, the City does not comment on personnel matters. We are committed to upholding confidentiality and ensuring fair and respectful treatment for all current and former employees.”
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Johnson could not be immediately reached for comment. A LinkedIn page associated with him now lists his occupation as an NWT-based account manager for Ember Defense Systems, a firesmarting and wildfire protection firm headquartered in California.
He had been the city’s fire chief since April 2022.
He was previously the fire chief in Minden, a township of 6,000 people northeast of Toronto, and had also served in Iqaluit’s fire department.
