Wildfires

Featured, News, Wildfires July 2, 2024

Coroner Service now investigating fatal helicopter crash at Fort Good Hope

Tom Frith passed away while battling an out of control wildfire, a 'testament to his unwavering courage and dedication,' says Great Slave Helicopters


The lone occupant of the helicopter that crashed at Fort Good Hope on Friday was Tom Frith, remembered as a “beacon of light, beloved by all who had the privilege of knowing him,” by his employer Great Slave Helicopters. The company posted this statement this afternoon: “It is with profound…

Featured, News, Weather, Wildfires July 1, 2024

If you return to evacuated Fort Good Hope: ‘Stay at your own risk’

The GNWT and Chief Collin Pierrot plead with residents and others not to enter community


Fort Good Hope remains under an evacuation order and it’s dangerous and irresponsible for anyone to return to the community, residents or not. Stated the GNWT on Sunday: “We can confirm from all levels of emergency management that there are no plans to move any evacuees back to the community…

Featured, News, Weather, Wildfires June 30, 2024

Hwy 7 fire was out, but hot winds blew it back to life

In Fort Good Hope, emotions raw after helicopter crash and relentless wildfire entering third week


A wildfire along Highway 7 (Liard Trail), which was previously brought under control, flared up under dry conditions and heavy winds, jumped containment, and grew to 49 hectares overnight. Fire FS008 has reached Highway 7 at Kilometre 236 on the west side, but did not impact access as air support…

Featured, News, Wildfires June 28, 2024

Warm, dry weather expected to fuel Fort Good Hope blaze this weekend

A test wildfire at the Fort Providence Experimental Site last night is now 1.5 hectares in size and classified as human caused and, for now, out of control


The Fort Good Hope wildfire has now consumed over 6,285 hectares, with more hot and dry weather on the way. Shannon Graf is the NWT Fire information officer assigned to the Fort Good Hope fire, known as VQ001. “Dry weather is expected to continue with the evenings offering little relief…

Featured, News, Wildfires June 27, 2024

Fort Good Hope wildfire beat back behind its firebreak

Some confusion exists over Chief Collin Pierrot’s decision Wednesday evening to issue second evacuation order


The Fort Good Hope wildfire is back behind its bulldozed firebreak blackline after it jumped containment this week, but there are still no reports of structure loss. Shannon Graf is NWT Fire’s information officer for the massive blaze, known as VQ001. “The bulldozed clearing was put in place in the…

Featured, News, Weather, Wildfires June 24, 2024

Traditional knowledge lens: Updating evacuated Elders on the wildfire emergency

‘We view the world through a visual lens … this is an effective means to communicate, letting the maps do the talking so to speak,’ says official Frank McKay


“Everyone is doing good, happy faces, elders are being looked after by the fish camp community and that is wonderful,” says Fort Good Hope Chief Collin Pierrot Veteran wildfire fighter Frank McKay has been NWT Fire’s information officer assigned to the massive Fort Good Hope wildfire, known as VQ001. The…

Featured, News, Weather, Wildfires June 23, 2024

Fort Good Hope wildfire ‘aggressively’ burning away from community

A new fire north of Fort Smith Airport, but posing no threats to communities, cabins, or infrastructure, says NWT Fire


There are currently 17 wildfires in the Northwest Territories, with 12 of them labelled as out of control. Many of those blazes are small and simply being monitored, but some remain a threat to property or people. The fire at Fort Good Hope, called VQ001, that caused the evacuation of…