A comprehensive fire ban has been enforced in sections of the Northwest Territories where 145 fires are currently active as of Friday afternoon. The ban, enacted earlier this week, covers both public and private lands in the North and South Slave regions. Thomas Bentham, a senior communications advisor for Environment and Climate Change, highlighted that similar localized fire restrictions have been implemented each fire season since at least 2023, underscoring the serious consideration that goes into such decisions.
The ban was prompted by extreme fire risk and unusual weather conditions, aiming to prioritize community safety and ensure resources are not diverted from naturally occurring fires to preventable ones. Additionally, a comparable ban is in effect in most territorial parks within the North and South Slave regions. Exceptions to the ban permit the use of fire for Indigenous activities like cooking and hide tanning, while the operation of enclosed stoves and barbecues remains permissible.
Visual aids depict the specific areas within the North and South Slave regions where the fire ban is in place, offering a clear overview of the affected zones.