'Severe wind event' expected in Hay River has crews bracing for the worst

Severe weather is expected in some parts of the Northwest Territories over the long weekend forcing crews to prepare for difficult fire fighting ahead.

Firefighters in the Northwest Territories are gearing up for a difficult long weekend ahead as a storm is expected to hit the South Slave region where wildfires continue to burn out of control.

Reports from fire officials on Wednesday say a quiet few days of weather activity has allowed crews to hold the blazes in Hay River and Fort Smith but conditions are expected to change.

"Potential for a thunderstorm (Thursday) afternoon may bring erratic winds and unpredictable fire behaviour," an update from Hay River said.

The streak of poor fire fighting weather will continue over the weekend as a "severe wind event" is expected on Friday.

"Friday has the potential to be a very challenging day of firefighting – with hot, dry, conditions and winds from the south-southwest, southwest…This would cause significant growth of the fire to the east," an online update on the Hay River fire reads.

The blaze is about 1.5 kilometres from the town's centre and one kilometre from the airport and West Point First Nation. It "breached" Paradise Gardens and Patterson Road south of Hay River earlier this month.

Over the last few days, smoke has been aiding crews by shading the sun from the ground, keeping moisture locked in. But an "uncertain forecast" is ahead.