Most of the wildfires that had been burning near Watson Lake this summer have now been put out, according to Yukon Wildland Fire Management officials. As of September 13, the Allen Creek, Little Moose River, and Little Moose River II fires are all listed as extinguished.
The only active fire left in the Watson Lake fire district is the Hyland River wildfire, which has burned about 132 hectares in a remote wilderness area. Fire officials are monitoring it but not actively fighting it because it is far from any homes or buildings.
For residents of Watson Lake and the nearby communities of Upper Liard, Rancheria, and Nahanni Range Road, the change means the immediate wildfire threat has mostly passed for this season. However, fire officials say people should still be careful in the backcountry as dry conditions can linger into the fall.
Yukon had a relatively quiet fire season this year, with less than 6,000 hectares burned across the territory, the lowest amount since 2014. The largest fire was the Coffee Creek fire east of Beaver Creek, which burned over 3,500 hectares.
Yukon Wildland Fire Management says it operates 26 firefighting crews from six regional bases, including one in Watson Lake. The crews work with Yukon First Nations Wildfire teams to respond to fires across the territory.
The Town of Watson Lake, Liard First Nation, and the Yukon government have also been working together on a three-year Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce the risk of wildfires near homes and buildings.
