Between 5-7:30 PM, fire FS 016 advanced toward the island of Fort Simpson as predicted by ECC weather modeling. The fire came over the edge of the ridge before descending toward the snye and presumably burning itself out. In this time, no spot fire ignitions were observed on the Island and no structures were damaged. Residents were ordered to shelter in place to keep them safe from a worst-case scenario, and the Rec Center was available for those who needed shelter. As of 9:30, it is still producing a reduced amount of smoke.
As we look towards the evening, another wind shift is expected that may push the fire towards Wild Rose and the other off-island areas. In anticipation of this, Wildland-Urban Interface fire crews from across the territory and beyond (including our own volunteer firefighters) will be working throughout the night. They will work to supply the sprinkler systems in place on the buildings, as well as intervene with fire attack as required only if it is safe to do so.
Their efforts will be supported by the Wildland crews from ECC, who will be patrolling both on and off the island, searching for and eliminating spot fires. A tremendous thanks to firefighters from all agencies and departments for their continued hard work.
An update on the overnight events will be posted tomorrow morning. Thank you all for your courage and patience in this trying time.
Thank you,
VOFS Incident Command