Twelve initial attack crews and an airtanker group from British Columbia have moved in to help the Yukon fight wildfires, according to the territory's wildfire hub.
Amid high wildfire activity and hot and dry conditions, a level 2 fire ban is in effect for Beaver Creek, Haines Junction, Carmacks, Ross River, Dawson, Mayo and Old Crow fire districts. That means fires are only allowed in pits or purpose-made containers at campgrounds accessible by road.
A relatively new fire has been smouldering in the Klondike region although neither Dawson City nor Moosehide are threatened and no smoke has been visible outside of the previous night's air-tanker containment lines. A helicopter has been working to put out hot spots that could be seen.
The Yukon Emergency Measures Organization has triggered an evacuation alert for Stewart Crossing and between kilometres 522 and 538 on the North Klondike Highway. More areas could be affected as time moves forward, as noted in the alert.
The alert may be upped to an evacuation order if residents and visitors are directly threatened, per the alert. Anyone in the affected area should be ready to leave within three hours of notice.
The highway has faced closures and travel advisories for the past week. Fires has been burning on both sides of the road. Lately, a pilot vehicle has been taking travellers through when it can, depending on conditions, as of the News' print deadline.
The Yukon River Quest from Whitehorse to Dawson City was cut short at Carmacks on June 27 so that the race wasn't sending support vehicles and volunteers into an active fire zone.
An evacuation alert issued June 19 for the area around Minto Bridge on the Silver Trail has been rescinded as of June 27.
Fifty-eight wildfires are burning with more than 35,400 hectares burned and 22 fires extinguished across the Yukon so far this defined fire season, as of the evening of June 27.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-new.com