Rain brings some relief to fire-threatened Wekweeti, N.W.T.

Intermittent rains in the North Slave region of the Northwest Territories on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning have helped firefighters battling wildfires in the region.

The most critical blazes are three near Wekweeti. Almost 50 people fled the community on Thursday to stay with relatives in Yellowknife and Behchoko as one of those fires crept within two kilometres of the community and threatened to block access to the airport. Approximately 140 people live in the community.

On Saturday afternoon Chief Adeline Football said there was no smoke in the air and that stress levels among those who remained seemed lower.

"The rain helped a lot yesterday, there wasn't much but it helped," said Football, who toured the area by helicopter on Friday. "We haven't had anyone leave other than the ones who evacuated on Thursday."

Fire officials also say the rain has given firefighters a chance to do more work to protect the community.

"We've seen about five millimetres, so obviously that's certainly welcome," said Mike Westwick, the territories' fire information officer. "We've seen lower winds as well and lower temperatures. That gives a crucial opening to get good work done and that's what the team is doing there today."

That work includes protecting both the community of Wekweti and access to its airport. Westwick said fire retardant has been dropped by aircraft to slow any burn toward the airport or community. Crews working on heavy equipment are clearing away burnable vegetation between the fire and the community and setting up high-powered sprinklers to douse structures should the fire get any nearer.

The fire remains about two kilometres from the community. It's about 110 hectares in size but did not grow at all on Saturday.

With the number of fires in the region, officials are saying people in communities in the North Slave can expect smoke will drift in over the weekend, if it hasn't already.

Two new fires started on Saturday, both in the Sahtu. Only one is of concern — it's burning 17 kilometres east of Tulita. But the area between it and the community burned previously. Westwick said most of the vegetation that has regrown is deciduous and not as flammable as coniferous or evergreen trees.

Westwick issued a plea to folks to be extra cautious when outdoors over the long weekend.

"Lots of people are celebrating. Firefighters out there need your help. They're working really hard over this long weekend, while folks are taking a break," said Westwick.

"Our message to folks is just to be careful. Put out your fires. Be careful with your ATVs, keep those mufflers cleared out so there's not sparks that can fly into the forest and start fires, don't throw cigarettes out the windows, just do your part as northerners and help keep everyone safe."