Wildfire FS015 outside Wrigley ‘moves seven kilometres in 24 hours’

The NWT’s wildfire agency says fire FS015 outside Wrigley is now five kilometres from the community after making a significant move to the south-southeast on Sunday.

In a Sunday evening update, NWT Fire said winds from the north had pushed the perimeter of fire FS015 about seven kilometres south-southeast in 24 hours, following a kilometre or two of movement earlier in the week.

All remaining residents and some essential workers were told to leave the community on Saturday.

“A high-volume water suppression system is on its way and will be installed at the north end of the community in the coming days as a precautionary measure,” NWT Fire stated earlier in the day.

“Smoke in the area is making it challenging for firefighting from the air, but firefighters, structure protection specialists from Alberta and heavy equipment are working on the north end of the community, preparing the area for the high-volume suppression system.”

Wind gusts of up to 50 km/h from the north were anticipated on Sunday. “Monday looks quieter,” NWT Fire added.

Sunday evening’s update suggested the fire’s movement might give firefighters some opportunities when easier weather arrives.

“With those cooler temperatures, we can expect the fire’s south-southeast movement towards the mountain range to help firefighting efforts moving forward,” NWT Fire stated.

Wrigley has been under an evacuation order since late June. Unlike Fort Simpson, whose residents were able to return home on Saturday after a 20-day evacuation, there is so far no indication of a date for Wrigley residents to return.

“I truly believe all the work we put into firesmarting homes and yards will help, so please take that as reassurance,” Chief Jamie Moses of the Wrigley-based Pehdzéh Kı̨ First Nation wrote online shortly after 8pm.

Earlier, he had warned evacuees that the fire remained “out of control, moving towards town.”

“There are fires all over the NWT and Canada. When the fire first started, we pushed ECC hard to get this fire out … or at least contain the southern flank,” Moses wrote earlier on Sunday, referring to the territory’s Department of Environment and Climate Change.

“Every day, we were told crews and helicopters are all in Fort Simpson either stuck on the south side or are now busy.”

The Village of Fort Simpson said on Sunday the weekend’s return home had so far passed off “relatively smoothly,” with an uptick in vehicle traffic back to the village expected later that day.