Residents of Whati are on evacuation notice as a wildfire creeps closer to the community.
Community members are asked to be prepared for an evacuation order, but an evacuation has not been declared at this point.
"This notice is to advise the residents of What矛 of a wildfire currently in the area which may present an increased risk to the community and residents," wrote the GNWT on Aug. 25 at 5:45 p.m. "The community of What矛 is advised to prepare for a potential emergency and/or evacuation, if necessary. Residents are asked to monitor news sources and keep aware of the situation."
At the same time that the evacuation notice was issued, NWT Fire announced that the wildfire, ZF048-25, which is sitting roughly 15 kilometres south of the community, is the territory's "number one priority."
The Aug. 25 wildfire update noted that the blaze did not advance towards the community yesterday, but winds blowing northwards today could help the flames gain ground.
"Drought conditions and very limited precipitation have made managing this wildfire extremely challenging since it received initial attack," wrote NWT Fire. "While we did respond quickly upon detection, it has not responded to suppression. For this reason, we are using primarily indirect action and air attack to manage this wildfire at this time."
Noting that the fire isn't expected to be a significant threat to the community currently because it would have to pass over large bodies of water, the GNWT says it's aggressively attacking the wildfire to make sure things remain safe.
Additional teams have been mobilized and air attacks are being conducted whenever safety allows. Officials are working with community leadership to establish plans to protect structures, if needed, and are exploring whether controlled burns can be utilized to cut off the fire's fuel paths.
