With 145 wildfires still active in the territory and temperatures approaching 30 C in Whitehorse over the weekend, fire activity has again become visible from several communities.

In online posts, Yukon government officials sought to reassure the public that none of these currently present any imminent danger to people or property.

A few fires just across the B.C. border are also producing a good amount of smoke. One near the Stewart-Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) is causing the intermittent closure of the roadway and a local evacuation order.

The highway closed for several hours on Saturday and has now reopened to alternating single-lane traffic. Travellers are encouraged to check with DriveBC before heading out onto the Cassiar.

Yukon fire crews are currently assisting the BC Wildfire Service to put structure protection such as sprinklers and hoses in place for all properties west of the Cassiar between French Creek and Wheeler Lake and at the Daylu Dena culture camp.

Fire crews did act on one Yukon fire near Carcross over the weekend that had threatened some nearby values, and the fire has now been put out. It was caused by previous lightning strikes and had “woken up” due to the heat.

Other older fires also started producing smoke again over the weekend, including the Takhini Bridge fire west of Whitehorse. The fire remains under control according to Wildland Fire.

Other out-of-control fires are being monitored. One of these is a sizable blaze about 60 kilometres east of Carmacks that is being watched by Wildland Fire Management on a remote camera.

Until any of these fires pose a threat to people or structures, they are simply being allowed to burn.

Fires are a normal part of the boreal forest ecosystem in the Yukon, and Wildland Fire Management allows about 90 per cent of naturally caused fires in the territory to run their course.