Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., under evacuation order as wildfire threatens

Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., is under evacuation order as a wildfire threatens the a community of around 500 people.

The community issued the evacuation order and declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon due to danger from a new human-caused wildfire, fire VQ001-24.

The fire is currently five hectares in size, and is about 3.5 kilometres northeast of the community, according to N.W.T. Fire spokesperson Thomas Bentham.

He said community members will be evacuated to Norman Wells, N.W.T.

In a Facebook post, Fort Good Hope Chief Collin Pierrot told residents to meet at the community band office to prepare for the evacuation.

"Please pack light and pack your important paperwork, ID, and most importantly your medication" he wrote.