Wildfire near Tulip Lake now 'being held,' says N.W.T. Fire
Fire is 15 km northeast of Fort Fitzgerald and 28 km east of Fort Smith
A wildfire burning near Tulip Lake, about 15 kilometres northeast of Fort Fitzgerald and 28 kilometres east of Fort Smith, is now classified as "being held" and not expected to grow, N.W.T. Fire said in an update on Tuesday afternoon.
"This classification reflects the confidence of firefighters that the fire will not spread beyond the existing containment lines," the press release said.
The fire, caused by lightning in late May, grew to over 14,000 hectares, or 140 square kilometres.
Crews are still monitoring the fire on the west side and will use infrared scans to locate any hot spots and extinguish them.
They had put up high-volume sprinkler systems in Fort Smith and Fort Fitzgerald, which they'll now begin to remove due to the reduced fire activity.
More than 100 people were involved in fighting the fire, including crews from the N.W.T., Alberta and Yukon, as well as an American Incident Management Team assisting with operations. Over a dozen helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft were also used.
Weather conditions are still very dry in the region, with the fire risk rated as extreme.