Yellowknife smoke coming from fire near Highway 3, 70kms south of Behchokǫ̀
Visibility might be a challenge for drivers on the highway, N.W.T. Fire said Wednesday
Yellowknife's sky took on an eerie orange glow on Wednesday afternoon, as smoke descended on the capital city.
The blanket of smoke came from a wildfire burning near Highway 3, about 70 kilometres south of Behchokǫ̀.
Winds blowing from the southwest brought the smoke into Yellowknife. Highway 3 was still open Wednesday afternoon but N.W.T. Fire said on its website that visibility might be challenging for drivers.
Late in the afternoon, the Department of Infrastructure posted on Facebook that there is fire and smoke affecting Highways 1 and 3. It said pilot cars were escorting drivers, and motorists should expect delays and drive with caution.
N.W.T. Fire said to expect elevated fire activity along Highway 3 and to check for updates on Drive N.W.T., before hitting the road.
It said this fire is highly active between Birch Lake and Mosquito Creek, driven by strong winds.
As of Wednesday, there were 97 active fires in the N.W.T.