Clay cliffs fire doused; planes go to Alaska

Wildland Fire Management crews were quick to extinguish a small fire Monday afternoon atop the clay cliffs in downtown Whitehorse.

Wildland Fire Management crews were quick to extinguish a small fire Monday afternoon atop the clay cliffs in downtown Whitehorse.

The human-caused fire was discovered by a Wildland employee and immediately called in to the Yukon Fire Centre. In addition to discovering the smoke, the employee saw children running from the scene.

Three initial attack firefighters were immediately dispatched and soon had the fire contained and extinguished.

Firefighters with the City of Whitehorse were also sent to the scene.

“This fire is obviously disconcerting due to its proximity to Whitehorse and the fact it was human-caused,” duty officer Mike Sparks said today.

“This is the third fire in as many days that had serious potential and was the result of human carelessness.”

The year’s first lightning-caused fire was reported Monday in the Carmacks district.

The 0.5-hectare fire was discovered at 9:45 p.m., burning in a wilderness zone near Black Creek. At this point, the fire is just being monitored.

Meanwhile, both airtanker groups from the territory have been dispatched to Alaska following a request from the state.

The DC-6 group and two Firecats were deployed Monday evening to remote Chicken, Alaska, where a 300-hectare fire is burning just nine kilometres from the tiny community.

“The airtankers worked the fire aggressively until midnight and will return to the fire today,” said Sparks.

“The sharing of resources is not uncommon during a fire season; however, if there is a need in the territory, the airtankers can be immediately recalled.”

Alaska has been bombarded with increased activity over the past 48 hours, including 17 starts last Saturday alone.

Yukon fire officials are urging the public to be vigilant with fires in the territory as a drying trend, forecast warm temperatures and recent lightning activity have greatly increased the fire danger rating in much of the Yukon.

Wildland Fire Management reminds the public that they are required to obtain a burning permit to burn grass, brush or debris in the territory between April 1 and Sept. 30. Burning permits will be suspended if the fire danger rating is moderate or higher.

This season, there have been five wildfires in the territory which have burned 1.7 hectares of forest.