Yukon firefighters battle blazes near Carmacks, Dawson
Last Updated: Friday, July 3, 2009 | 5:40 PM CT
CBC News
Two air tanker crews were battling a 175-hectare fire near Little Salmon Lake, about 65 kilometres east of Carmacks. (Yukon Wildland Fire Management)Yukon firefighters and air tankers went out Thursday night to a wildfire that came close to cabins along Little Salmon Lake, near Carmacks.
The 240-hectare fire, which was reported at 6:20 p.m. PT Thursday, is currently about six kilometres southwest of the lake and the cabins around it. It is about 65 kilometres east of the town of Carmacks.
The blaze is burning away from built-up areas near the lake, George Maratos, a spokesman for the territory's wildland fire management program, told CBC News on Friday.
As a protective measure, crews are putting sprinkler units on several cabins on the south side of the lake, Maratos said.
Cabins on the north side of the lake are at a low risk from the fire, he added.
Air tankers worked on the blaze late into Thursday night. Crews are assessing the situation Friday, focusing on protecting homes and structures in the area.
Officials also warned motorists they may encounter smoke while driving along the Robert Campbell or North Klondike highways.
Wildfire crews also attended to a 0.2-hectare fire Thursday near the Yukon River, 53 kilometres south of Dawson City.
Heavy rainfall that night helped firefighters tackle that blaze. They hope to have it extinguished later Friday.
The fire danger rating in the Carmacks area is in the extreme range and high in Dawson, Haines Junction and Old Crow. The rating is moderate in Whitehorse and low in the rest of the territory.
Yukon fire officials have recorded a total 45 wildfires, burning 32,239 hectares of forest so far this season. Of those, 28 were caused by lightning while humans accounted for the remaining 17.
