Skip to content

Wekweeti residents return home as wildfire under control

Residents of Wekweeti are returning home after the territories’ wildfire agency decided a wildfire burning near the community is now under control.
33208161_web1_230630-YEL-NewFIres-Photos_1
This was the scene late last week as a fire posed danger to Wekweeti and forced residents to evacuate. They have since been able to return home with the fire danger diminished. Photo courtesy of Wekweeti, NWT Facebook page

Residents of Wekweeti are returning home after the territories’ wildfire agency decided a wildfire burning near the community is now under control.

Wekweeti’s more than 100 residents were ordered to evacuate to Yellowknife last Thursday.

Three wildfires were burning near the community at the time, the closest within two kilometres of its homes.

The wildfire agency says that fire was brought under control Monday after hard work by a team on the ground.

The Tlicho government says flights to return evacuees to the community are leaving Yellowknife on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Two other fires continue to be monitored — one across Snare Lake from the community and one at the lake’s western tip.

—By The Canadian Press