Tinder dry conditions trigger fire bans in southern N.W.T. communities

Some communities in the South Slave and the Dehcho regions in the Northwest Territories have issued fire bans as dangerous wildfire conditions persist in the territory.

Officials in Hay River, Fort Smith and Fort Liard issued fire bans this week, where conditions remain dry and ripe for a wildfire.

Fort Smith has a ban on open flames and outdoor burning of any kind. Hay River has cancelled all of its burn permits, but fires in approved backyard fire pits are still allowed.

The territorial government has also put in place a fire ban at the Queen Elizabeth and Little Buffalo River Falls Territorial Parks,though camp stoves and enclosed barbecues are exceptions to that.

Fire conditions in Fort Smith are listed as "extreme," while Hay River is at a "high" risk of a wildfire, according to N.W.T. Fire's daily fire map.

Officials in other hamlets in the South Slave and Dehcho say they're monitoring conditions, but have not yet issued fire bans in their communities.

This week,wildfires in northern Alberta forced thousands to evacuate their homes in High Level, Alta., as the flames threatened the town. That fire has burned at least 92,000 hectares and was fire kilometres from High Level as of Wednesday afternoon.

Some of those evacuees have travelled to the K'atl'odeeche First Nation Reserve near Hay River while they wait to return home.