Wildfire threatens Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., as evacuation continues

A wildfire continues to threaten homes in the community of Fort Good Hope, N.W.T.

As of about 7:15 a.m. local time Sunday, Fort Good Hope Chief Collin Pierrot told CBC News that no structures in Fort Good Hope were damaged in the fire overnight.

"They managed to hold it off," Pierrot, who is in Fort Good Hope, said.

He also said that the community's airport was still open.

Pierrot said he thinks the fire may have burned to the end of the community's airstrip, but conditions are still too smoky to be sure.

"To be honest ... we don't know what kind of weather conditions are going to be thrown at us today," he said said.

Pierrot said he hopes more firefighter crews are sent to the community today to help.

The fire, which was about five hectares earlier in the day, has now grown to an estimated 200 hectares.

In an update at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, N.W.T. Fire said was is a high probability of structure loss in the community overnight.

"It's increased in size by about 40-fold since our last assessment," said fire information officer Mike Westwick. "With the continuing winds and long periods of sunlight in the area, it is expected that that fire will remain active through the night."

Westwick said winds began shifting to the northeast, which is likely to push the fire toward Fort Good Hope.

Fire crews are currently focused on holding the fire at the road, and N.W.T. Fire has been working to get more structure protection into Fort Good Hope.

"That work continues — we're just doing absolutely everything we can to protect what we can as this extreme situation unfolds," Westwick said.