An active wildfire has claimed a cabin to the northeast of Fort Smith.
According to Mike Westwick, spokesperson for NWT Fire, the cabin’s owner has been notified.
Crews flew over the area on Monday and saw the remnants of the cabin.
“This was due to a combination of extreme winds and dry conditions unusual for the season,” reads a notice. “This caused the fire to flare up and take a significant run on the south.”
According to NWT Fire’s webpage, the wildfire has been burning since Aug. 17 and was caused by lightning. Its burn area is about 35,000 hectares.
Crews are now installing sprinklers near other cabins in the area.
“This kind of activity is extraordinary for this time of year,” adds the notice. “The NWT is facing down one of the longest periods of continuous wildfire activity in decades – with drier forests and persistently elevated temperatures.”
NWT Fire says conditions for the rest of the week may lead to additional fires, or active ones to grow larger.
There have been 252 wildfires so far this year — 81 are still active. The total burn area is about 537,000 hectares.
