Hay River Mayor Kandis Jameson says residents of the town should be prepared to be away for a fair bit longer, as fire crews continue to protect the municipality from out-of-control wildfires.
In a statement released Sunday, Jameson says crews in Hay River have been working tirelessly to protect the town, K’atlodeeche, West Point First Nation, and the Hay River Metis Government Council. Adding that work is being done based on the fire and changing weather patterns.
“Our hearts are with those that have already lost their homes and livelihoods. Often firefighters need to rush to an area to deal with a flare-up or shore up protection.”
Jameson says the roadblock remains in place at Enterprise to block entrance into Hay River, and she says it’s critical that people do not come back until given the all-clear. She adds that those who think about coming back prior to the evacuation order being lifted could potentially be taking amenities and support away from first responders.
“It is very dangerous here, especially with the warm, dry weather and steady winds this week…. re-entry will be weeks not days with assessments done weekly,” she says. “There are no basic services, amenities or emergency support of any kind. More importantly, fire crews may need access to any part of the community at any time.”
Updates and resources will be available on an on-going basis from the Town of Hay River Facebook page.
