Fort Simpson Fire: Crews Make Progress as Conditions Improve

A spot fire on the northern side of Fort Simpson’s island has been put out, and wildfire FS016 has not damaged the community’s airport or ferry landing infrastructure, according to NWT Fire.

In a Sunday 5 p.m. update, the wildfire agency said crews had used controlled ignition operations over the weekend to remove fuel along the western side of the airstrip. The goal was to prevent the wildfire from reaching important infrastructure.

Spot Fire Extinguished Near Fort Simpson Island

NWT Fire confirmed that a spot fire north of the island had been extinguished.

Officials said the airport and ferry landing remain unaffected by the wildfire, despite the fire’s movement through nearby areas.

Crews continued working to reduce the risk of more spot fires developing inside the community.

Controlled Burns Used to Protect Airstrip

According to NWT Fire, controlled ignitions were carried out on Saturday and Sunday along the western side of the airstrip.

These operations removed burnable material from the area and helped create a safer buffer between the wildfire and critical infrastructure.

The agency said the work was done to make sure the fire did not affect essential transportation facilities.

No Homes Reported Lost

Although FS016 has been burning in subdivisions south of Fort Simpson’s main village, no homes have been reported destroyed.

Fire crews remain focused on protecting residential areas where the fire has already moved through or continues to smoulder.

Officials said affected neighbourhoods require constant monitoring because hot spots can flare up suddenly.

Air Tankers Target Fire Flank Near Village Island

On Sunday, air tankers concentrated on the fire’s flank west of the snye that runs along the village island.

The purpose was to reduce the chance of additional spot fires spreading into the community.

Helicopters, skimmers and air tankers have been used as conditions allow.

Village Orders Non-Essential Personnel to Leave

The Village of Fort Simpson has told all non-essential personnel to leave the community.

Transportation was scheduled to depart from the recreation centre on Monday at noon.

The village said this would be the final arranged transportation out of the community.

At the same time, Fort Simpson renewed its local state of emergency.

Fire Remains Embedded in Southern Residential Areas

Fire officials said FS016 reached residential areas south of the main village over the past few days.

Even though no houses have been lost, the fire remains embedded in those neighbourhoods.

Fire information officer Forrest Tower described the situation as an ongoing challenge that requires patrols around the clock.

Wild Rose and Gill Crescent Remain Priority Areas

Tower said crews were focusing much of their attention on Wild Rose and Gill Crescent, neighbourhoods located south of Fort Simpson’s main village.

He said the fire had moved across those areas and burned down toward the Liard River in several places.

Some trees in the area are still smouldering, creating continued risk for nearby homes and yards.

Winds Helping Push Fire Away From Town

Firefighters had expected Sunday to bring more favourable conditions.

Tower said winds were still helping because the fire was moving south, away from the main townsite, rather than toward it.

However, he warned that any wind shift could create new problems because fuels in the area are extremely dry.

Crews Patrol Homes and Manage Sprinklers

Structure protection crews are patrolling affected neighbourhoods, maintaining sprinkler systems and dealing with hot spots near buildings.

Wildland firefighters are working in treed areas to slow or limit additional fire spread.

Tower said FS016 is as close to structures as it can be without those structures burning, making the situation especially difficult for structural firefighters.

Fire Risk Can Change Quickly

Tower explained that not every tree or yard is burning at once, but small fires can ignite in grass, wood piles or other fuel sources.

That means firefighters may check a property several times and find nothing, only to return later and discover something burning in the yard.

Because of this, crews must keep moving, patrolling and putting out flare-ups as they appear.

The FS016 wildfire near Fort Simpson remains a serious and fast-changing emergency, even though no homes have been reported lost and key airport and ferry infrastructure has not been damaged. Crews have extinguished a spot fire north of the island, used controlled burns to protect the airstrip and focused air support on reducing the risk of more spot fires near the village.

With the fire still active in southern subdivisions such as Wild Rose and Gill Crescent, structure protection crews continue round-the-clock patrols. Officials are urging non-essential personnel to leave as Fort Simpson remains under a renewed local state of emergency.