Officials to begin inspection of wildfire damage, says Kátł'odeeche First Nation

Kátł'odeeche First Nation (KFN) says an inspection of the damage on the reserve will begin today.  

"It is anticipated that many homes and buildings will be safe to live in, but it will take time to assess their safety," reads an update posted to social media. 

While some residents in neighbouring Hay River return home under a down-graded evacuation alert, KFN Chief April Martel says it is not yet safe for any residents of the reserve to return.  

Speaking with CBC at the roadblock to the reserve, KFN fire chief Michael Sunrise said crews are still putting out hotspots in the community — some in between homes.

"We have to beef up our roadblock and make sure that nobody's getting access to the community because it's unsafe at this present time," he said.

"[There were] lots of ground fires that we had to put water on and sometimes they're deep, so they keep popping up when everything dries out," he said. 

He added that there are many fallen trees all over the reserve. 

The update also includes a laundry list of clean-up activities that needs to be completed before KFN opens the reserve to residents. 

The list ranges from replacing burned power poles and removing downed lines, to repairing roads and assessing for toxic waste. 

"Please be patient because there's still lots of work to do," said Sunrise.

Speaking with CBC on Wednesday, Martel said it could take months for the assessments of damage and toxic waste to happen. 

In Thursday's update, KFN says it is working on a "Safe Entry Plan" and is asking residents to fill out a housing and accommodations survey.