Alberta investigators to look into how N.W.T. gov't handled Reid Lake fire - Action News
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Alberta investigators to look into how N.W.T. gov't handled Reid Lake fire

The N.W.T. government has hired fire investigators from Alberta to look into what caused and how they subsequently handled a wildfire that closed a highway, forced evacuations and destroyed a fishing lodge.

Report won't be made public

The remains of Namushka Lodge after the Reid Lake fire destroyed it July 15. (Namushka Lodge/Facebook)

The N.W.T. government has hired fire investigators from Alberta to look into what caused and how they subsequently handled a wildfire that closed a highway, forced evacuations and destroyed a fishing lodge.

Officials say the Reid Lakefire,whichstarted near a cabin on Pickerel Lake, is suspected to have been person-caused.

It has since grown to more than 6,400 hectares, and fire crews are still battling it.

The fire forced evacuations ofthe Reid Lake campground, which remains closed, and Camp Connections, a camp for foster children, whichhas been turned into a base for fire crews.

The fire also led to closures of the Ingraham Trail east of Yellowknife, and forced people to leaveseveral private cabinson Reid Lake.

On July 15, the fire swept into NamushkaLodge onHardingLake and destroyed it. Investigators will look into howfire officials handled communication withthelodge before the fire struck.

The owners of the lodge have said they had no warning from the department about the fire and were lucky to get out alive.

The investigators' report is expected to be completed in a few weeks butwill not be made public.