Department of Community Services
2009 - Yukon Wildfire Bulletins
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Current Fire Danger Ratings Wildfire Bulletin #35 July 28, 2009 - 10:15 AM Safety Urged Following Human Caused Fire in Watson Lake A small human caused fire was confirmed Monday in the Watson Lake district burning approximately three kilometres north of the town near two-mile. A member of the public discovered the 0.1-hectare fire and an Initial Attack crew was deployed and quickly extinguished the fire. This fire marks the first incident of the season in Watson Lake. “With the current hot and dry conditions in the territory human caused fires are an obvious concern,” said Duty Officer Mike Sparks. “The fire danger rating is expected to continue to climb with little precipitation in the forecast so it is critical the public are cautious when having a campfire.” Burning permits are now suspended throughout the territory due to the current fire danger ratings. The Carmacks, Mayo and Ross River districts are all at the extreme danger with Dawson, Haines Junction, Old Crow and Whitehorse rated high. Campfires are still permitted however, officials are stressing the importance of properly extinguishing your campfire before leaving the area. Douse the site thoroughly, stir and ensure the fire is cold to touch. Meanwhile, with the pending weather fire officials are expecting the fires already burning in the territory to see an increase in activity. The Little Salmon Lake burning 65 kilometres east of Carmacks remains active and is now an estimated 15,700 hectares. Fifty firefighters, six helicopters and various other pieces of equipment are on site working the fire. All identified values in the area remain protected. Motorists are advised they may encounter delays and possible closures on the Robert Campbell Highway due to smoky conditions. The Teslin River fire, now more than 2300 hectares in size, burns 60 kilometres northeast of Whitehorse and showed aggressive fire behavior Monday due to the hot and dry conditions. The fire is burning on both sides of the Teslin River and as a result, paddlers are asked to use caution while traveling through the area. Limit travel to the morning, stay to the center of the river and do not stop at any time in the area impacted by the fire. In the Dawson district, several fires continue to burn in the Wildland Fire Management Wilderness Zone. The largest being a fire 90 kilometres southeast of Dawson City that is more than 33,000 hectares in size. Structural protection is in place for the values in the area. The public is advised that smoky conditions are expected in much of the territory this week as the fire activity increases. In total, there are currently 30 active fires in the territory. The majority of these fires are burning in the wilderness zone and fire officials continue to monitor these fires closely. This season there have been 66 fires in the Yukon burning 83, 649 hectares of forest. -30- For Yukon Wildfire updates, call 1-800-826-4750 Current Fire Danger Ratings |