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Department of Community Services
2003 - Yukon Wildfire Bulletins
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Current Fire Danger Ratings Wildfire Bulletin #20 June 25, 2003 - 9:30 AM OFFICIALS MONITOR FIRE NEAR PLACER MINING CAMP WHITEHORSE –Yukon Wildland Fire Management personnel are closely monitoring a fire burning near Scroggy Creek, about 150 kilometres south of Dawson City. The fire, first reported Monday June 16, has moved closer to a placer mining camp in the area. "The camp is not in any immediate danger," said Klondike District Duty Officer Marc Dionne. "We will go there today in a helicopter, to estimate the risk and work out a plan." The lighting-caused fire, which is about 80 hectares in size, is currently approximately four kilometres away from the camp, and is burning in a designated wilderness fire zone. The claimholders are currently in the camp. Dionne said they are working on clearing the land of brush around the couple of buildings, assorted equipment and fuel tanks that are on the site. Dionne added that there is a natural deciduas firebreak around the buildings. "The poplar and aspen trees that are around the structures don’t burn as easily as spruce would and work as a natural fireguard," said Dionne. Meanwhile, firefighters continue to work on the human-caused Eagle Plains fire. "There is very little smoke coming from that fire now," said Yukon Duty Officer Gordon Dumas. "We expect to have it fully contained by Friday." The fire has not grown significantly in size since yesterday. As of this morning, it is still measured at roughly 500 hectares, and is about five kilometers away from the Eagle Plains Lodge. Officials are confident no evacuations or road closures will be necessary. Meanwhile, fire officials continue to monitor the four fires burning near Kusawa Lake and the Wheaton River and another lightning caused fire within the Dawson fire district. All the fires are located in remote areas. In addition, the DC-6 Airtanker is now back in Dawson after spending the past few days in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, assisting with fire activity in those areas. Of the 40 fires this season, only two have been caused by lightning, while all the others have been caused by humans. The fires have burned a little less than 3000 hectares of wildland. Dumas said that with the warm and dry weather today, several district zones in Yukon are expected to reach extreme fire danger rating. Overnight, quite a few lightning strikes hit the territory north of the Ogilvie Mountains, north of Keno and east of Mayo Lake. "We will send a patrol plane out to inspect the area today," said Dumas. We are currently in the peak lighting season, and officials ask people to be on the lookout for smoke. Lightning-caused fires can smolder for a few days, and flare up once the weather gets warmer and dryer. If you see suspicious smoke or a forest fire, please call the toll-free wildfire reporting line at 1-888-798-FIRE (3473). -30- For Yukon Wildfire updates, call 1-800-826-4750 Current Fire Danger Ratings |