The wildfire situation in central Yukon, which has been a trouble spot all season, is improving, but the southern part of the territory remains tinder-dry.
According to Yukon Wildland Fire Management, the “central Yukon received significant rainfall Friday night, with showers expected in the north and central Yukon the rest of the weekend.
“Southern Yukon remains dry, with strong winds expected in the southwest of the territory. For information about smoky conditions on the Thirty Mile section of the Yukon River, read the information about wildfire XY-008 on the Fires of Note page.”
A level 2 burn ban in place across the territory has been lifted.
Wildland Fire Management is planning a prescribed burn to take place this afternoon (August 12,) around 2 pm on the Whitehorse South Fuel Break.
Late last week, Yukon Protective Services praised members of the public for calling in signs of forest fires during the heatwave, which saw temperatures near 30 C in many areas.
“Thank you to members of the public who called the Fireline 1-888-798-3473 (FIRE) to report fires over the past two days. Wildland Fire Management and fire departments across the Yukon have responded to four human-caused fires in the past 48 hours since a fire ban was put in place.”
Members of the public reported fires on Grey Mountain in Whitehorse, the Midnight Dome in Dawson City, and in Carcross. Last Wednesday, another fire was called in at Miles Canyon.
“Wildland Fire is grateful to people who called these fires in. In the case of the Grey Mountain fire, the caller reported a fire after smelling smoke and remained on the scene relaying information until the Whitehorse Fire Department arrived. This thoughtful action may have prevented a serious fire in a residential area.”
Meanwhile, the RCMP had to rescue some paddlers on Friday due to smoky conditions caused by wildfires.
At about 7 a.m. that day, police were called on “to assist four adult canoeists who are stranded on the north end of Lake Laberge,” police said in a statement.
“The canoeists abandoned their trip due to active wildfire activity in the area.” Shortly after 1 p.m., police said, “all parties were safely returned”.
The Yukon is providing the following mutual-aid support to British Columbia and Alberta: one task force leader; one division supervisor and one agency representative have been sent to British Columbia.
