Department of Community Services
2009 - Yukon Wildfire Bulletins
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Current Fire Danger Ratings Wildfire Bulletin #43 August 05, 2009 - 11:30 AM Human-caused Fire in Whitehorse; 2 New Lightning Starts Discovered Wildland Fire management and City firefighters responded to a human-caused fire in Whitehorse Tuesday morning. It was burning at the Whitehorse Tanker farm near Hamilton Boulevard and was reported by a member of the public to city fire officials. The 0.04-hectare fire was quickly extinguished, and the specifics to the cause of the fire are now under investigation. "With such high fire activity in the territory and generally extreme conditions, it is disconcerting that we are getting human-caused starts," said Yukon Duty Officer Mike Sparks. "We would like to remind folks that an open fire ban is in place and it is critical it be followed." Due to the current conditions fire officials are asking hunters to avoid areas where fire activity is occurring if possible or delay their trips until the fire situation eases. Fire conditions remain very volatile right now. A map showing the current fire locations is posted at the department of Environment office at 10 Burns Road in Whitehorse. Two other fires were also discovered on Tuesday. The MODIS satellite detected a 10-hectare fire approximately 30 kilometres north of Carmacks, near McGregor Creek. It was confirmed just before 6:30 p.m. The Tatchun Lake campground is located eight kilometres from the fire, but is at no immediate risk. A 20-hectare fire was spotted in the Watson Lake district by an air observer just before 8:00 p.m. It burns approximately seven kilometres southeast of Jackpine Lake in the Wildland Fire Management wilderness zone, and no values are threatened in the area. This is the 31st fire in the Watson Lake district this year. Fire officials issued an evacuation alert Tuesday for some citizens in the vicinity of the Little Salmon Lake Fire. The fire burns 65 kilometres east of the community and is estimated to be 18,500 hectares in size. The evacuation alert is a precautionary measure to prepare residents in case an evacuation is necessary. It applies to persons residing in or visiting the area along Little Salmon Lake and the Magundy drainage corridor adjacent to the Robert Campbell Highway. Further information on the evacuation alert can be obtained by calling the Carmacks Wildland Fire Management Zone Office, at (867)-863-5271. No further growth was reported on the fire Tuesday thanks to a southeast wind which was pushing the fire away from the identified values. Meanwhile, work is ongoing on a number of fires burning throughout the territory, specifically in the Teslin, Watson, Carmacks, Dawson and Whitehorse districts. Protection of communities and other values while maintaining the safety of firefighters remains the top priority. An additional 20 firefighters and 3 other personnel from the Northwest Territories arrived on Tuesday to aid with the current extreme conditions. They join other Outside resources from Alberta and the Northwest Territories already at work. There are now over 160 total firefighters in the territory. A smoky haze remains in much of the territory, and although the smoke has dissipated in some areas these conditions can be expected to continue pending on fire activity. Motorists should also prepare for delays and possible closures on the Robert Campbell Highway and Nahanni Range Road due to existing fire activity. Further information can be obtained by calling 511 or visiting yukon511.ca. With conditions forecast to be unseasonably warm across the territory through the weekend, fire officials are urging the public to abide by the current open fire ban and limit their burning to barbeque and closed lid stoves, and even then to do so with extreme caution. The public is also asked to avoid backcountry travel if possible. This season there have been 109 fires in the Yukon burning nearly 154, 870 hectares of forest. -30- For Yukon Wildfire updates, call 1-800-826-4750 Current Fire Danger Ratings |