A column of smoke, which may be visible from Whitehorse, is rising from an area of Wilderness northeast of Lake Laberge.
According to Fire Information Officer Julia Duchesne, the fire is approximately 10 hectares in size and it is expected to grow due to the hot, dry weather in the forecast. It started on July 4.
The fire is approximately 10 km from the lake and no people or structures are threatened. Duchesne said unless that changes, the fire will probably be left to burn so it can fulfill its role in the ecosystem. She said a helicopter flight got a close look at the fire on July 4 and monitoring is expected to continue.
The fire near Laberge is one of five new blazes in the territory, all of which were started by lightning over the weekend. Duchesne said the other four are all east of Ross River and also being monitored. This brings the total number of fires burning in the territory to 21.
Duchesne said the hot forecast brings with it an elevated fire risk so safe use of campfires is especially important. She said people should keep an eye on their fires and have the means to completely extinguish them close at hand. She said avoiding preventable fires will help ensure there are enough firefighting resources to monitor and if necessary, work to control the fires caused by lightning.
(Jim Elliot)