Wildfires Prompt Evacuations and Heightened Alert in Northwest Territories

A remote community in the Northwest Territories, Fort Simpson, was ordered late Sunday to evacuate as an out-of-control wildfire, known as the Dehcho fire, continued to burn in close proximity. The territorial government's website reported that the Dehcho fire was approximately seven kilometres west of the Fort Simpson Airport and had reached an estimated size of 4.2 square kilometres. The official notice from the Village of Fort Simpson advised the community's roughly 1,300 residents to evacuate to the Multiplex Arena in Yellowknife, located about 630 kilometres east of the community. The City of Yellowknife confirmed via social media that the Multiplex gym would serve as a reception and lodging centre for evacuees.

Residents who chose to evacuate by air were directed to gather at the local recreation centre, with the last evacuation flight scheduled for early Monday. Those evacuating by road were advised to ensure they had enough food, water, and fuel for their families. Gas stations in the village were set to remain open throughout the evacuation process to facilitate safe departures.

As of Sunday morning, the fire had not made significant advances toward Fort Simpson, and there were no reported losses of infrastructure or structures in the community. According to NWT Fire, "Airtankers and helicopters are hitting priority areas on the northern and northeast perimeter to suppress growth toward the community." Due to wildfire activity and limited safe access, no ground crews were deployed on the fire on Sunday. Dry conditions persisted, with temperatures near 35 C and moderate winds gusting up to 30 kilometres an hour. Environment Canada had issued a heat warning for the region, projecting daytime highs around 29 C for Monday.

The situation in Fort Simpson unfolded amid a broader context of heightened wildfire activity in the territory. As of 11:45 a.m. Sunday, there were 82 active fires across the N.W.T., with most being monitored and not posing immediate threats to communities. Hot, dry weather conditions contributed to the elevated risk, with temperatures forecasted to exceed 30 C in many areas.

An earlier evacuation alert had been issued for Fort Simpson after the fire was initially detected about 10 kilometres from the airport. Local fire departments, including those from Fort Simpson and Hay River, were working to deploy structure protection measures around residences, particularly in the Cazon Crescent and Villeneuve Vista areas. The village council thanked residents for allowing crews space to manage the incident.

According to a Sunday update from the village, approximately 500 community members had registered with the Government of the Northwest Territories either online or in-person at the Fort Simpson Recreation Centre. Residents were encouraged to continue registering to facilitate emergency response coordination. As a precaution, individuals from Fort Simpson’s long-term care facility had already been evacuated to Yellowknife.

NWT Fire cautioned that residents should expect to see smoke and increased activity from crews and aircraft in the coming days as suppression efforts continued.

The current evacuation order follows a fatal incident earlier in the week, in which three people died when a bird dog plane involved in fighting the fire crashed about 50 kilometres from Fort Simpson. The accident prompted condolences from Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Kele Antoine, chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation in Fort Simpson, addressed the evacuation in a Facebook post, assuring that the band would support its members throughout the process. He urged residents to look out for one another and expressed his intention to remain in Fort Simpson as long as it was safe to assist with evacuation efforts, stating, “If conditions require me to leave, I will drive to Yellowknife.” Antoine added, “Our community has faced challenges before, and we will get through this one together.”

Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen stated that the city was prepared to support evacuees from Fort Simpson, saying, “In the event that Fort Simpson requires an evacuation, the City of Yellowknife is ready to support our neighbours from across the N.W.T.”

Elsewhere in the Dehcho region, Saturday evening saw the detection of a lightning-caused wildfire approximately 12 kilometres north of Wrigley. The fire was classified as out of control, with smoke visible from the community. However, NWT Fire reported that wind conditions were favourable, with most fire growth occurring on the west side and Sunday’s forecasted winds not expected to push the fire toward Wrigley. Six airtankers were assigned to the incident, and crews had begun structure protection and suppression activities to mitigate the risk to the community.

Overall, the confluence of extreme weather, expanded wildfire activity, and recent aircrew fatalities has underscored the challenges facing the Northwest Territories as it manages evacuation logistics, public safety, and ongoing emergency response operations.