Evacuation preparations are underway in a First Nation community in Northwest Territories as a wildfire burns nearby.
The territory's No. 1 priority fire grew four kilometres from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and now burns about eight kilometres southwest of Whatì, officials said Thursday
"I think we are ready for a possible evacuation, and it looks like it's going to happen," said Sherbaz Muhammad, the community government's senior administrative officer, in an interview Thursday morning.
"We've been hoping, wishing that we'll stay, but I think it's not just the smoke. It looks like the fire is so close."
The air quality in the region was considered a very high health risk as of Thursday morning, prompting widespread warnings from Environment Canada.
In Whatì, officials say sprinklers are being set up around the community and the fire department is creating a water barrier along the lone road out of the community, which runs south, back toward fire danger.
Winds from the south pushing the fire toward the community earlier this week had shifted favourably to the north on Thursday, officials said. Those southerly winds were expected to return again on Friday and could continue to advance the fire toward Whatì.
Muhammad says if they have to evacuate, the community will be hosted in Behchokǫ́, the nearest community by road located about 160 kilometres away.
A stretch of that drive is along Highway 3, where territorial officials are warning drivers of "extreme conditions," with flames visible in some areas and heavy smoke. Highway staff are patrolling the area and closures may be required, according to an update posted Wednesday.
Fire crews were battling 10 out-of-control wildfires in the territory as of Wednesday, according to the latest update posted by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which helps to co-ordinate the country's wildfire fighting resources.
A heat wave has also descended over already dry parts of southern Northwest Territories where moderate to severe drought conditions have been reported.
Those hot and dry conditions help fuel severe wildfires, with federal forecasts suggesting the area will be under extreme fire danger for at least another week.
Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is helping to increase the likelihood and severity of both heat waves, drought conditions and wildfires, scientists say.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2025
Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press
