A fire ban is now in place for all public and private land located in the South Slave Region due to extreme fire danger and weather conditions, the territorial government advised on Thursday afternoon.
This affects the communities of Enterprise, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation and Kakisa.
The terms of the fire ban restrict open fires outdoors — including an open fire pit — discharging firearms with incendiary or tracer ammunition, fireworks, shooting or detonating exploding targets, sky lanterns, signal flare devices or pyrotechnic bear bangers (unless in emergency situations), and storing flare devices, bear bangers or fireworks in a manner that may cause them to be ignited.
Burn permits are also temporarily cancelled while the ban is in effect.
The use of closed stoves, barbecues, furnaces or other devices suitable for containing fire are exempt. The use of fire for exercising Aboriginal or treaty rights by Indigenous peoples is also exempt.
The fire ban is effective through July 28 and may be extended if necessary. If you see any violations of the fire ban, the GNWT asks you to report them by calling 1-877-NWT-FIRE.