Firefighters take stock of N.W.T. fires as cooler, wet weather expected to end

Firefighters trying to keep wildfires at bay from the city of Yellowknife were planning to take stock of the situation this morning after cooler, damp weather gave them a break Saturday.

Firefighters trying to keep wildfires at bay from the city of Yellowknife were taking stock of the situation Sunday morning after cooler, damp weather gave them a break Saturday.

"What we're looking at doing is scanning a section of the fire and seeing what areas might be appropriate for direct attack," said fire information officer Mike Westwick. "(We'll be) putting boots on the ground right in front of the fire and suppressing sections of it."

Crews will use infrared sensors to figure out where the fire is vulnerable, although Westwick said the fireline is so long that the teams will focus on the most critical areas.

Fires remained about 15 kilometres from the deserted, smoky city, which is almost completely evacuated. Only a couple thousand of the northern capital's 20,000 people remain and about half of them are emergency workers.

About four millimetres of rainfall Saturday gave firefighters a chance to build control lines on Yellowknife's western edge, Westwick said.

Fuel breaks have been dug, and sprinkler and water systems installed.

"That work is substantially complete, which is really good news," said Westwick. "We're making good progress."