Air tankers attack growing wildfire southeast of Dettah

A wildfire visible to the southeast of Yellowknife and Dettah was attacked by two air tanker groups on Wednesday, the NWT government said.

Fire ZF-011 was one of three lightning-caused fires reported in the vicinity of Defeat Lake, around 30 km from Dettah, in the past 24 hours. The other two have since been declared out.

ZF-011 was considered to be out of control as of 5pm on Wednesday.

“The last reported size was 1.5 hectares but it has grown today,” wildfire information officer Amber Simpson said by email, confirming two air tanker groups had been sent to tackle the fire earlier in the day.

The fire was clearly visible on a clear Yellowknife day from the city’s downtown tower blocks.

A larger fire, SS-012, is burning farther to the southeast, on the eastern shore of Great Slave Lake between Łútsël K’é and Fort Resolution. That fire had reached 617 hectares in size as of Wednesday but was not considered a threat and was being monitored.

Fire ZF-003, northwest of Yellowknife and east of Behchokǫ̀, has reached 53 hectares and is being fought.

More: View the GNWT’s wildfire update and map

The territory’s largest active fires are both in the South Slave. SS-015, east of Fort Smith and north of Uranium City, has consumed 1,398 hectares. SS-016, in the barrenlands, has consumed 1,638 hectares.

FS-003, northwest of Fort Simpson, has burned 1,211 hectares to date.