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The week ahead will bring a “late-season ramp-up of fire weather conditions” in the North Slave, South Slave and Dehcho, the NWT’s wildfire agency says.
Hot, dry weather with sustained high winds will be a factor “in many areas from Behchokǫ̀ southward” until August 28, NWT Fire stated in a Friday update.
That is likely to mean growth of fires ZF015 and ZF048 near Highway 3 between Behchokǫ̀ and Fort Providence and near the Tłı̨chǫ Highway to Whatì.
Over the past 24 hours, conditions on Highway 3 were so poor that multiple drivers reported having to stop for an hour or more to let the smoke ease and visibility improve.
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More periods like that are likely in the days to come, NWT Fire warned.
Meanwhile, an “uncharacteristic late-season lightning outbreak” could also result in new fires in the Sahtu, North Slave and South Slave, the agency added.
Whatì, Behchokǫ̀ and Yellowknife are being told to brace for more smoke in the coming week, and NWT Fire urged extreme caution – avoid having fires in areas where the fire danger is elevated, and follow fire bans where they are in place.
