Wrigley, N.W.T., residents ordered to evacuate due to nearby wildfire

Residents of Wrigley, N.W.T., feature been ordered to void o'er a wildfire burning at the stake close the community of about 130 people.

The order, which was issued through the territory's alert system Monday morning, comes less than 24 hours after Fort Simpson residents were ordered to evacuate to Yellowknife over a nearby fire.

It's not yet clear whether the ferry that connects Wrigley to the territory's highway system will be reopened to allow evacuees to exit by road.

"There is some concern about highway conditions," said Jay Boast, an information officer with the territory's emergency management organization. "It's an evolving situation.... We are looking to have [evacuation] happen as quickly as possible but also as safely as possible."

Wrigley residents are asked to register at the band office and will get further instructions from there, according to the alert.

The fire designated FS015, burning 12 kilometres to the north of Wrigley, prompted a special notice from wildfire officials Sunday night, having grown “significantly” to over 4,000 hectares in size.

Thomas Bentham, an official with N.W.T. Fire said earlier on Monday that residents should brace themselves for "significant fire activity" as changing winds and hot, dry conditions continue to encourage the spread of fires.

A new fire, FS018, was discovered near Wrigley over the weekend, estimated at over 100 hectares in size.

An incident management team is being deployed from Alberta, and two helicopters and six tankers are currently managing the fire.

"We have plenty of resources on top of this fire," Bentham said.

Officials reported 18 new fires identified overnight, in regions across the territory.

Several new fires have been identified around Fort Good Hope, though they currently pose no risk to structures.

New fires have also been identified in the area near Hay River that burned in the historic 2023 wildfire season. Officials say smoke from those fires may be visible in Hay River and Enterprise.

Another fire, SS009, is burning near Highway 1 at the N.W.T./Alberta border, a key evacuation route from the territory.

"Travellers along the road could see, and likely will see smoke and possibly flames," Bentham said. "We’re working with [the Department of] Infrastructure to make sure that the highway there is accessible … That’s one to keep an eye on."

There are currently more than 80 fires burning across the territory. Hot, dry conditions and persistent droughts have made wildfires larger and less predictable in recent years.

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