Wildfire to cross N.W.T.'s Highway 3 between Behchokǫ̀ and Yellowknife 'imminently'

N.W.T. Fire says the wildfire burning between Behchokǫ̀ and Yellowknife is expected to jump Highway 3 "imminently." 

In an email just after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the N.W.T. Department of Infrastructure confirmed the highway is closed between kilometres 246 and 334 — the entire stretch between the two communities.

"Residents should not travel in this area," the department stated in an email.

The fire is expected to reach the highway between kilometres 275 and 279. Highway 3 is the only highway out of Yellowknife.

The news comes less than a day after Behchokǫ's 2,000 residents were ordered to leave their homes and travel Highway 3 to Yellowknife. The wildfire threatening the community has burned more than 63,000 hectares of land so far — about 630 square kilometres.

The fire was last measured about 22 kilometres east of Behchokǫ̀ and 45 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife. 

Mike Westwick, fire information officer with the territorial government, said structure protection is still a priority for crews. 

"It is a very serious situation, but we have prepared for this and taken steps to protect the things that folks value out there," he said. 

He said there has not yet been any reported damage or losses to homes or cabins as as result of the fire. 

Westwick said crews were doing planned burns near Stagg River to try to head off the western end of that wildfire, but those burns jumped the control lines crews had set in the area.

"Given the fact that area is about 12 kilometres east from Behchokǫ̀, that's something that our team is very focused on addressing and assessing today," he said. 

He added that crews are working on dozer lines near Russell Lake, just north of Behchokǫ̀, where they will dig out any fuel for the fire. He added that an additional 40 firefighters — 20 from Alaska and 20 from New Brunswick — are coming to support operations.

Before the highway closed, Behchokǫ Chief Clifford Daniels told CBC he was trying to stay optimistic but was worried about what would happen.

Daniels was at the pilgrimage in Lac Ste. Anne, Alta., when the evacuation order came down, but flew back to the N.W.T. and was driving Highway 3 around noon Tuesday when he took CBC's call. Lac Ste. Anne had its own extreme weather Tuesday, which forced the cancellation of the annual pilgrimage.