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Fire restrictions and evacuation alerts as the Yukon rolls through wildfire season

Wednesday, 3 July 2024 11:08

By Stuart Bonell @BonellStuart

Wildland Fire Management crews battle one of many Yukon fires this summer (Photo: Wildland Fire Management/Government of Yukon)

76 active wildfires in the territory, and nearly 71,000 hectares burned this year

With lighting striking dry Yukon forests this summer, Wildland Fire Management has issued two evacuation alerts and a level 2 fire restriction across the territory.

Smoke from the Wrong Lake fire has impacted visibility the North Klondike Highway between Pelly Crossing and Stewart Crossing since it was reported on June 19. In an update on Tuesday, Wildland Fire said that the highway may close quickly due to fire activity in the area. An evacuation alert is in place for Stewart Crossing as the fire approaches 17,000 hectares in size.

Mayo is also under an evacuation alert, in response to the Roaring Fork fire. According to Wildland Fire, recent rain will help crews secure the edge of the fire and identify hotspots to be extinguished, and precautionary structure protection work is set to continue on the Minto Lake Road.

Meanwhile, seven of the territory’s ten fire districts are under a level 2 fire restriction due to hot and dry conditions. For Beaver Creek, Haines Junction, Carmacks, Ross River, Dawson, Mayo, and Old Crow fire districts, cooking and warming fires are only allowed in fire pits or purpose-made containers at road-accessible campgrounds.

Wildland Fire reminds Yukoners to be responsible with fires allowed under the ban by keeping an eye on their fires, keeping water near by, avoiding building fires in windy conditions, not building larger fires than needed, and ensuring that all fires are completely extinguished before leaving the site.

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