Remaining Fort Simpson residents were told to shelter in place on Monday evening as a wildfire moved closer with the highway east closed. Meanwhile, Wrigley residents evacuated to Fort Smith.
You can read dedicated reports on the Fort Simpson and Wrigley fires, while our fire map shows active fires, air quality, hotspots and road closures.
This page showed information as we received it throughout Monday about the overall Dehcho fire situation, supports for evacuees, travel conditions and other relevant updates.
You can contact us via email or using this form. We’d like to hear from you if you have:
- photos or video of fires or travel that you can safely share;
- updates about affected communities or supports available;
- requests for assistance; or
- questions you’d like us to put to officials.
Live reporter: Ollie Williams in Yellowknife
All times MT. Coverage has concluded for the day.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
22:36 – A late evening update from NWT Fire remains possible but is not guaranteed. With much uncertainty still in the air, we’re closing down live coverage. You’ll see new reporting from us first thing on Tuesday, and we’ll bring you a full picture of what happened overnight as soon as we have it.
Thanks for following our reporting today. Thank you from me to Alice Twa, Kai Wilson, Dieselle Ford, Jesse Wheeler and our whole team for a lot of hard work on many fronts throughout the day. We’ll be back tomorrow.
22:17 – Here’s our late-night report on the situation Fort Simpson faces. Wildfire FS016 did not reach the village during its peak burning period on Monday but officials said winds could drive further change overnight.
21:35 – The Village of Fort Simpson just issued what is expected to be its final update of the night.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“Between 5-7:30pm, fire FS 016 advanced toward the island of Fort Simpson as predicted by ECC weather modeling. The fire came over the edge of the ridge before descending toward the snye and presumably burning itself out,” the village stated.
“In this time, no spot fire ignitions were observed on the Island and no structures were damaged. Residents were ordered to shelter in place to keep them safe from a worst-case scenario, and the Rec Center was available for those who needed shelter. As of 9:30, it is still producing a reduced amount of smoke.
“As we look towards the evening, another wind shift is expected that may push the fire towards Wild Rose and the other off-island areas. In anticipation of this, Wildland-Urban Interface fire crews from across the territory and beyond (including our own volunteer firefighters) will be working throughout the night. They will work to supply the sprinkler systems in place on the buildings, as well as intervene with fire attack as required only if it is safe to do so.
“Their efforts will be supported by the Wildland crews from ECC, who will be patrolling both on and off the island, searching for and eliminating spot fires. A tremendous thanks to firefighters from all agencies and departments for their continued hard work.
“An update on the overnight events will be posted tomorrow morning. Thank you all for your courage and patience in this trying time.”
21:27 – This does not carry much meaning for tonight – Fort Simpson has a specific weather phenomenon playing out as a cold front sweeps in, with particular risks and benefits regarding fires – but the broader picture is that the region’s fire weather index is dropping.
Blue in this image means weather that’s less conducive to extreme wildfire behaviour. This is how the index looks right now. It may not mean much tonight but in the longer term, this might help.
21:23 – Coming up tomorrow morning, how Fort Smith is welcoming Wrigley’s evacuees and the people trying to care for Fort Simpson’s pets even as the fire grew closer. (And of course, we’ll have updates based on whatever the rest of tonight brings.)
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
These live updates will continue for at least the next hour tonight.
21:13 – This was the highway camera just outside Fort Simpson 20 minutes ago.
21:06 – From Chief Kele Antoine:
“We want to reassure everyone that the Tourism Camp remains intact and unharmed. We have cameras at the site, and they continue to confirm that the camp is still there and has not been impacted.
“While fire is visible in the area, images and videos shared online can be alarming and may not tell the full story.”
20:59 – More from FS016 fire information officer Forrest Tower:
“Bannockland, that’s kind of the other little cluster of structures that are more at risk, just because they’re right in that sort of wildland-urban interface, whereas the town has a bit more of a break with Highway 1.
“The Wildrose and Bannockland section is where there’s a lot of structure protection personnel, and they’ll still be doing patrols as long as needed, and then setting up sprinklers and everything else for gear and equipment.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“Maybe two hours, an hour and a half ago, it got quite dark as the fire was burning a bit more aggressively. Now it’s still very, very smoky, but it’s a bit more lighter smoke in the area. It will probably remain extremely smoky overnight.”
To reiterate, there’s a lot of night left for the fire to make different moves. We expect another update within the hour and we’ll be here for the foreseeable.
20:49 – Detailed quotes from Forrest Tower, FS016 fire information officer:
“The fire is certainly quite close to Fort Simpson. It potentially has crossed over Highway 1 in some areas, but not looking like it’s vigorous fire activity, which is really good. It looks like fire activity went to the highway and then sort-of dropped down.
“We still have a long time to go into the night with other winds picking up, but at this point – for the town site itself – there’s no ember cast happening right now into the community. Where there is some concern still is up into the subdivision, the Wild Rose area.
“We do have wind shift, which is expected to happen more around 9pm to 10pm tonight, and then we’ll get some pretty strong winds that may continue to still push fire towards town, but as of right now [there is no] organized flame front or anything moving into town, which is good at this point.
“Still lots of time to go where there is possibility for active fire and, like I said, still some pretty strong winds forecast, which have the potential to impact fire behaviour. As of right now, a bit of a break in what could have been maybe a bit more vigorous fire activity across near the entire town site.”
The shelter-in-place order remains active. Tower hopes to have another update out inside the next hour. We’ll be staying with you live for that.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
20:45 – Alice just got FS016 fire information officer Forrest Tower on the horn. Stand by for his 8:30pm update, which is as close to real-time as you’ll get on the fire threatening Fort Simpson.
The headline: things are “good at this point” compared to how it could look, but there’s a long way to go. More follows shortly.
20:33 – Lynn Canney, who had stayed behind in Fort Simpson to help accommodate firefighters, got out via the ferry and highway this evening.
“They’re holding northbound traffic at Jean Marie River because of the fire on the highway, which was pretty hairy when I drove through it,” Canney just told me via text message.
“I’m on my way to Fort Providence for the night now.”
Officially, Highway 1 west of Checkpoint and Highway 7 to the south remain closed.
20:22 – Weather data from Fort Simpson suggests gusts have picked up to about 30 km/h over the past couple of hours. At the same time, the temperature has dropped from a 5pm high of 29C to 25C at 8pm.
Meanwhile, an orange warning (literally) for smoke and air quality deterioration was just issued for the area.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
20:19 – From Parks Canada:
“Parks Canada would like to inform residents evacuating from Wrigley who are travelling by road to Fort Smith that they may see smoke and firefighting activities, including helicopter activity along Highway 5. Please be assured that there is currently no risk to the highway.”
20:03 – One resident tells me it’s slightly less smoky in Fort Simpson than was the case an hour ago.
19:59 – From the Village of Fort Simpson:
“This post is to inform residents that as of 6:30pm Fire FS 016 began to crest the hill above Fort Simpson Island. Wildland Urban interface crews are patrolling constantly looking for spot fires. When we know more info about the fire position and status, we will post an update.
“In the meantime, residents are urged to continue to shelter in place and give way to emergency vehicles operating in the area.”
19:52 – Dawn Isaiah, who looks to have reached safety after that harrowing boat trip (see 19:05 and 19:09), published this image and wrote: “This is all ashes.”
19:43 – This video is quite scary, be advised. It looks to me like this was shot at Fort Simpson’s golf course, looking west (there are some landmarks that come into view later in the video). It was posted an hour ago at 6:43pm.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
19:39 – Back in Fort Smith, Mayor Dana Fergusson has been telling me how things are going with Wrigley’s evacuees.
One plane has arrived. Twenty-six people have registered at the evac centre. Thirty-five more are expected on a second plane in the next hour.
“Fort Smith is opening up in the stores and letting folks have a free swim tomorrow from 1pm till 7pm at our community rec centre. It’s welcome for all the community members,” Fergusson said.
Other things you can do in Fort Smith:
- Summer reading club, Tuesday at the library
- AA meetings, Tuesday, 7pm at the rec centre
- Wednesday is Canada Day, full day of events
“We’ve already done our first dinner service and it was homemade spaghetti and meatballs and we’re serving that till the last plane comes in tonight,” said Fergusson. “Then we’ll start with the rest of the food services scheduled for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
19:26 – Fort Simpson’s health centre and Wrigley’s health cabin are now closed. (Previously, the health centre had moved to an emergency footing.)
19:22 – It is currently very difficult to know, with certainty, where the fire is relative to Fort Simpson. I’ll bring you updates as soon as there’s something we can verify, but that may be a while as there are no tools to meaningfully track fires from a distance in real time.
If you’re in Fort Simpson, first of all we’re all thinking of you and secondly, you can reach me here if you have updates you can safely share.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
19:18 – From Air Tindi, joining Canadian North, which had a similar update earlier:
“Air Tindi has cancelled scheduled flights to and from Fort Simpson up to and including Thursday, July 2, 2026. We will continue to review conditions and will provide further updates if additional changes to service are required.”
19:09 – This is video from Dawn Isaiah, on the water leaving Fort Simpson.
19:07 – Chief Kele Antoine asks for Fort Simpson to be kept in people’s prayers tonight.
“The smoke has really moved into town. Visibility has dropped, and headlights are now needed to drive around the community. It certainly reminds us that this wildfire remains a very real threat and that conditions can change quickly,” he just wrote.
“I want everyone to know that I am safe. I’m staying with Scott, and we have a large air purifier running to help with the smoke. We’ve also hooked up the boat and have it ready to go if it becomes necessary.
“Even though the conditions are difficult, I remain confident in the incredible people working to protect our community. The firefighters, structure protection teams, volunteer fire department, emergency responders, and everyone supporting this effort continue to inspire all of us with their courage and dedication.”
19:05 – These images are from Dawn Isaiah, leaving Fort Simpson by boat. I don’t really have the words to describe how it feels to look at these.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
19:03 – NWT Fire reports there were 29 new fires in the past day. None pose any immediate threat but FS023 is the name of the one straddling Highway 7 and contributing to that road closure.
18:43 – The air quality sensors in Fort Simpson are approaching the top end of the measurable scale.
18:37 – A video just shared online shows the scene in Fort Simpson right now. It is orange and bleak.
18:35 – From the Mayor of Fort Smith, Dana Fergusson, to Wrigley evacuees:
“We know this isn’t easy. Leaving your homes on short notice without knowing the date you will return is something we haven’t forgotten from 2023. We remember the communities and people who showed up for us. Now it’s our turn.”
18:27 – More from the village: “Those residents who wish may shelter in place at the Recreation Center provided they bring there own supplies like food, water, and bedding. Animals are not accepted at the Rec Center as this time.”
Three years ago, while I was an evacuee in Fort Simpson, I talked with local leadership about what the response would look like if a fire hit. Sheltering in place at municipal facilities on the island was the last resort once no other option remained.
The shelter-in-place order just went out via the NWT’s alert system as well.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
18:22 – Shelter in place, the village ordered remaining residents.
“All residents are ordered to shelter in place due to wildfire until further notice. Those who need a place to shelter can proceed to the Rec Center. Residents who shelter at the rec center are responsible for bringing supplies like food, water, and bedding,” reads a notice posted to the village’s website.
18:20 – This was Fort Simpson not long ago. “The wind keeps changing,” said Lynn Canney, who took the photo. (She and her partner stayed behind to provide accommodation for firefighters.)
18:14 – This is an important line from NWT Fire’s latest update: “If you have not evacuated, there is
potential for wildfire impact on the evening of June 29th into the overnight period. Have a plan for personal safety, and stick to it.”
18:13 – It’s not all bad. From Chief Kele Antoine: “There is some encouraging news. Wildrose received a welcome amount of rain, which will certainly help. The incredible Structure Protection Teams are fully mobilized in Wildrose, working tirelessly to defend the community.
“I was preparing to leave Fort Simpson this afternoon, but the Checkpoint Road was closed after the wind shift pushed fire activity closer to the highway. For now, I have a safe place to stay in town and an air purifier if the smoke worsens. Like many of you, I’ll continue to take things one step at a time.”
18:09 – Here’s our full update based on the latest from NWT Fire. It does not make great reading. Fire crews only have limited options if fire FS016 continues to move toward the village.
NWT Fire said crews will protect homes “where it is safe to do so” if the fire move into the village.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“There are limited suppression actions that can be taken unless the fire progresses closer to Highway 1 near Fort Simpson,” the update concluded.
18:00 – Latest from NWT Fire: “There is observable growth towards the Village of Fort Simpson as of 5:30pm.”
“Elevated fire activity on the north, northeast, and west flank of the wildfire has been observed,” the update adds.
More to come. There are no distances given.
17:06 – I’m relocating from the office to home and then we’ll track the Wrigley and Fort Simpson situations into the evening. Recognizing that not everyone has the luxury of going home right now, I hope evacuees are as settled as is possible in the circumstances. Thanks to all the volunteers making things happen in Yellowknife and Fort Smith tonight.
17:04 – Here’s an overarching map of satellite hotspots from the past 24 hours, red being the most recent. There is a lot happening across the NWT.
16:55 – From Canadian North:
“Canadian North is proactively cancelling scheduled flights to and from Fort Simpson up to and including Thursday, July 2, 2026. We will continue to assess our passenger service in and out of Fort Simpson, and should further updates or changes be required, we will share them as soon as possible.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
16:50 – The latest satellite hotspot detection shows why highway closures are a thing right now.
Here’s fire FS016 west of Fort Simpson, which appears to have contact Highway 1 north of the village in the past few hours.
And here’s the Checkpoint intersection (on the right) with fire FS014 appearing very close to Highway 1 to the north, with a fire cross Highway 7 to the west.
16:43 – Highway 1 has closed from the Checkpoint intersection (east of Fort Simpson) all the way to Wrigley. The ferry between Wrigley and Fort Simpson has closed down again, too. Smoke and fire activity is the stated reason from the Department of Infrastructure.
This has obvious consequences for anyone trying to leave Wrigley by road. There’s no estimate for the ferry or road to reopen. (I should note the community had expected anyone leaving by road to be gone by mid-afternoon.)
With assistance from the Department of Infrastructure, we’ve also figured out what happened to the ferry for the past few days. The department says it was down for maintenance from June 25-28 but resumed service on Sunday night to move emergency vehicles, then reopened at 11am today for regular operation (before closing again).
Highway 7 remains closed in both directions. The department confirmed wildfires are the reason.
16:00 – Fort Smith just let us know the first wave of evacuees from Wrigley is expected to arrive at about 4:30pm.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
15:53 – Alice has been speaking with Daniel Wiltzen, the Town of Fort Smith’s information officer for Wrigley evacuees. Here’s a sense of what to expect.
“Our evacuation centre is located at the Fort Smith Centennial Arena, that’s been converted into an area capable of holding evacuees overnight. They’ll be able to check in there. Some of the evacuees we’re expecting in special cases may be put up in the Pelican Inn,” said Wiltzen.
“There’s an option for those with wheelchair accessible needs being able to be housed at the Northern Lights Care Home here, so we’re ensuring that everybody has access to a bed that makes sense for their needs and abilities.”
“Fort Smith has really banded together, even in the past few hours,” he added. “We have a full dinner for them set up, as well as food for tomorrow, snacks, water, everything that they could need is being provided for them. This has been a huge collaborative effort, and it’s really great to see the community come together in this way.”
More information on supports will be posted at the evacuation centre. The town expects to issue daily 10am and 5pm updates.
Finally, Wiltzen added: “This Wednesday is Canada Day, and we’re very excited to have some additional participants in our festivities taking place at one o’clock on Wednesday. There’s a barbecue for everybody.”
15:49 – Often, newsrooms report the things going wrong during evacuations. It’s our job to hold authorities to account and figure out why things slip through cracks.
However, it’s also appropriate to report when things go right. A Fort Simpson resident who uses a wheelchair had nothing but praise for the way their evacuation from the village was handled. Here’s the story from Kai Wilson and Alice Twa.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
15:35 – Fort Simpson Mayor Les Wright says the ferry connecting Fort Simpson to the highway network is still running around the clock to get remaining people out of harm’s way.
As of lunchtime on Monday, he said, 696 people had registered as evacuees – not counting those who left prior to an evacuation order being declared.
15:30 – “Ignition operations are being planned to head off the fire’s growth towards Wrigley. These will only go ahead as conditions allow and with the right resources in place,” NWT Fire states. More about the Wrigley situation here.
15:26 – Diedra Villeneuve sent us photos of Fort Simpson a short while ago. (One of which is now this live story’s lead image.)
15:21 – “The sad thing is I’ve heard two flights left pretty much empty last night,” writes Chief Kele Antoine regarding Fort Simpson evacuation flights. “Please, if you have loved ones here in the community, urge them to go to the rec centre and see what can be done to evacuate you.”
15:20 – The Village of Fort Simpson continues to appeal to anyone left in the village to leave.
“Due to limited resources, no dedicated evacuation flights are scheduled but we are continuously seeking ways to assist those who wish to still evacuate,” the village just stated.
15:12 – “The most important update you will receive today,” writes Basketball NWT’s Damien Healy, with tongue possibly in cheek.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Healy says the super bingo being run by Basketball NWT on July 4 has moved from the multiplex (which of course is now an evacuation centre) to the Yellowknife Community Arena.
Doors open at noon on July 4. Early bird at 3pm, regular bingo from 5pm.
15:08 – There’s now a fire ban in place for Yellowknife.
14:06 – Tomorrow, Wrigley is expected to see a slight shift to north-northeasterly winds and a few scattered showers.
“We’re expecting a bit of a cold front. The thing to keep in mind with the cold front is a wee bit more wind,” said fire information officer Shannon Graf, “so that’s where day to day, hour to hour, we keep evaluating things and determining when it’s safe to go in and where we can make the biggest difference.”
14:03 – There are crews out tackling wildfires near the highway south of Wrigley “that we feel might pose a threat to the infrastructure,” said Shannon Graf, information officer for fire FS015.
“With the wind changing and the fire behaviour [for FS015], and just the overall size, it’s going to mean that direct suppression action – so putting crews in front of that fire – we can’t do that. It’s too dangerous. It wouldn’t be effective.
“We’re going to be looking for any openings, whether it’s getting helicopters in to do drops or air tankers in to do drops, or if we do have the chance to get our crews back out there safely, we’re absolutely going to do that. They’re experts at this, they’re going to be working on holding that line.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
14:00 – I just got off the phone with Shannon Graf, wildfire information officer for FS015 north of Wrigley. Here’s the latest:
“The fire size is more than 10,000 hectares, as estimated by satellite detection. The last distance we have measured is 12 km north of Wrigley.
“The main concern from an ECC standpoint is that we’re going to have another significant fire activity day. It’s very dry. The wind is going to shift to northwesterly. That’s going to push smoke into the community. It’s going to lead to some poor visibility.
“That said, our crews are continuing to work really, really hard on this. The fire may grow towards Wrigley, which is our biggest concern. We do have an Alberta-based incident management team that has been deployed. They’re going to be coordinating all the firefighting actions.
“There’s been no loss of cabin structure or anything like that. At this time we are asking that people on their way out of town give firefighters space, just so that they have room to do what they have to do.”
Coming up, some broader discussion of the fire weather and wind situation in the Dehcho. Stand by.
13:43 – Wrigley and Fort Simpson are both on the cusp of slightly cooler, damper weather moving in, but there is still a lot of fire activity in the area.
This is from our fire map. New fires reported in the past 24 hours have a white outline. The background shows the fire weather index, with the blue (less severe) gradually shifting east.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
13:38 – Chief Kele Antoine mentioned the wind situation a little while back. Here’s the situation. The wind around Fort Simpson could push FS016 closer to the community later today and into the evening, but the wind strength, the gusts, and how long it stays pointing in the same direction are all variables influencing what happens to the fire.
Later today, we’ll bring you reliable updates as soon as we have them.
In Fort Simpson, Lynn Canney reports a little ash has begun to fall. Here’s her truck.
13:34 – Jay Boast is the information officer for the Territorial Emergency Management Organization overseen by the GNWT. Alice has been asking him about the Wrigley evacuation.
“There was a meeting with NWT Fire, regional representatives of the emergency management organization and band leadership, and at that meeting it was decided – with the information that they had on the conditions both around Wrigley and with transportation, the highways, etc – that it was in the best interest of the safety of the community that they be evacuated,” said Boast.
“That recommendation was given and was accepted by the band council. They also declared a local state of emergency, and at that point the order was executed, and the logistics of having people evacuated was actioned, and that is continuing to happen currently.”
Boast expects more information from a combination of the GNWT and Fort Smith for incoming Wrigley evacuees before the end of today’s business hours.
13:29 – The Transportation Safety Board has given us an update on the investigation into last week’s fatal plane crash west of Fort Simpson. The fires and evacuations are obviously hampering progress, but some initial details are available.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
13:18 – From Chief Kele Antoine regarding the wind situation in Fort Simpson:
“While this is something we are watching very carefully, I urge everyone to remain calm. Our firefighters and emergency management teams continue their work, and we will keep you informed as information becomes available.”
12:58 – Alice just spoke with Melissa Hardisty, the SAO for the Pehdzéh Kı̨́ First Nation in Wrigley.
“We got into work about nine o’clock,” said Hardisty. “We got a call from Maca and they informed us that we were going to be at an alert level, where we get the community ready in case we do have an evacuation order. Then the evacuation order came in 15 minutes later.
“It’s very, very smokey here. At first, they weren’t able to land planes, but they were able to get at least two planes in. The wind keeps blowing this smoke in different directions, and the fire is still sitting at 12 km. That’s my guess right now, but Maca has not got a hold of us and let us know how close it is. They just informed us that we need to be evacuated.
“Everybody knew that there was a fire close by and everybody was just watching. We really couldn’t do very much. People can personally prepare themselves, right? But we weren’t given an order from Maca to say that we were on alert. If they had given us the alert yesterday, then our community members would have been ready. We would have had everybody registered. But we didn’t have that time. There was like a 15 minute window between an alert to evacuation.”
Hardisty said Wrigley residents – 106 people is the figure she gave – had been given till the middle of Monday afternoon to get out by road. She said a plane is due to arrive at 1:30pm with other flights beyond that. The host community is Fort Smith, she confirmed.
12:38 – The Department of Infrastructure told us it has updated its DriveNWT website to show the ferry between Wrigley and Fort Simpson is in fact open.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
The department did not explain that change, instead asking us to submit a new media request.
We also asked by phone if Highway 7 is closed only to northbound traffic toward Fort Simpson, in both directions, or not at all. We were told to submit a written media request.
12:35 – From the Village of Fort Simpson:
“Please be advised that there are no hotel rooms currently available in Yellowknife. The remaining available rooms have been assigned to evacuees with the highest needs.
“At this time, group lodging at the Yellowknife Multiplex is the designated accommodation for Fort Simpson evacuees. If you have questions about accommodations or require assistance, please speak with staff at the Registration Desk at the Yellowknife Multiplex. They are available to answer questions and help connect you with available supports.
“Please note that independently booked accommodations will not be reimbursed.”
12:31 – Fort Liard has begun pre-evacuation registration. To be very clear, there is no current threat to Liard, this is the hamlet’s standard annual process – but it’s an important one, as is being demonstrated elsewhere.
12:29 – The Town of Fort Smith just issued a callout for help hosting Wrigley evacuees.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
12:26 – From my colleague Alice regarding supports for Fort Simpson evacuees (and their pets):
A spokesperson for the City of Yellowknife has shared a list of services in the city that can be used by evacuees from Fort Simpson, including the indoor play area and walking track at the fieldhouse, the library and the aquatic centre (regular admission applies).
Evacuees who drove can get free parking for three days by registering for a visitor parking pass, and there is also public transit, but regular transit rates apply.
The NWT Literacy Council is giving away goodie bags for evacuated children aged 0-12 and will be handing them out at the multiplex on Monday afternoon.
Yellowknife residents looking to support evacuees can make a monetary donation through the Salvation Army, which is coordinating donation efforts. Donations can also be made online at www.salvationarmy.ca or in person at the Salvation Army NWT Resource Centre, located at 4925 45 Street, Yellowknife.
For evacuees looking for community support, the CIty of Yellowknife suggested they reach out to Yellowknife residents on the Salvagers Unite Facebook group.
The NWT SPCA has said it cannot host “large dogs” at its shelter in Yellowknife, but may be able to help with cats or a couple very small dogs. The organization recommended evacuees reach out to Quimmiq Kennels or Borealis Kennels.
The City of Yellowknife said dogs are not allowed in the multiplex. When Cabin Radio spoke with Borealis Kennels, they said they were almost at capacity and have space for small dogs and a couple cats.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Fort Simpson Mayor Les Wright told Cabin Radio a couple people are feeding dogs that were left behind in the community.
12:23 – Our fire map has a section beneath it that sets out the 20 latest fires and allows you to see where they are.
Some new ones are rolling in. These appear to be fires that started yesterday and are now being formally reported and named. Of note are a few new Dehcho fires near Highway 1 and Highway 7 that look like they began in the past day and may have been responsible for the Highway 7 closure, though we are still waiting to hear from the Department of Infrastructure on that front.
The fire map also shows a new human-caused fire along Highway 3 south of Behchokǫ̀ that appears to have been rapidly brought under control.
12:20 – From the City of Yellowknife, answering questions about how people can help (which a lot of people have asked us this morning):
“The City of Yellowknife has received many generous offers from community members asking how they can support Fort Simpson evacuees. Thank you for your kindness and willingness to help.
“The preferred way to support evacuees is through a monetary donation. Financial contributions allow support organizations to respond quickly and provide people with the items and services they need most.
“The Salvation Army is coordinating donation efforts for the response. Clothing donations and volunteers are not needed at this time.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
12:17 – NWT Fire is currently in its main call of the day with duty officers, after which I’m hoping we’ll be able to bring you a Wrigley update with some sense of what the factors were in today’s evacuation order and what’s expected later.
12:16 – From the NWT SPCA, Yellowknife’s animal shelter, which has already said it is too full to accommodate any large dogs (try boarding kennels like Qimmiq and Borealis instead if you need help):
“Due to the evacuation of Fort Simpson and Wrigley, numerous dogs were left without care. Immediate action is necessary to supply dog food to these areas. We are looking for donations of dog food and hopefully get it delivered asap. Please drop off any bags of dog food at the shelter if you can.”
12:08 – Key for us in the next while is determining how Wrigley residents are supposed to reach Fort Smith. It’s not yet clear if that’ll be by air or road. We’re working on that.
DriveNWT, the territory’s road conditions website, currently states the ferry between Wrigley and Fort Simpson is closed. That would have obvious implications for anyone’s ability to drive, since it’s the only road. We’ve been pestering the Department of Infrastructure for confirmation about the situation there.
12:01 – Welcome to Monday’s live coverage. The situation has reached a point where we figure a live page will provide a central home for what’s happening across multiple evacuations.
Stand by for an update on supports for Fort Simpson evacuees in Yellowknife.
This afternoon, our main focus will be how Wrigley residents get to safety and how the fires outside both communities develop. We anticipate being with you into the evening.
