The community of Fort Providence, N.W.T., has been ordered to evacuate as of 8:57 a.m. on Sunday.
Community members are asked to leave immediately to Hay River.
An evacuation alert had been put in place on Saturday. According to an update from N.W.T. Fire on Sunday morning, the wildfire grew significantly overnight driven by severe northerly winds.
The fire is now two kilometres north of Fort Providence.
Mayor Danny Beaulieu told CBC Saturday night that buses were on their way to the community to transport residents without vehicles.
Residents needing transportation should meet at the community arena.
By Saturday, 100 people in Fort Providence were registered for a potential evacuation.
The alert was upgraded to an order Sunday morning.
Hay River’s Fire Department is on standby in case the fire reaches the community of Fort Providence, said Beaulieu.
N.W.T. Fire said winds today could push the fire to the community’s edge.
“Structure protection specialists in the community have set up sprinklers and water cannons on all structures along the northern perimeter of the community to mitigate potential losses,” the department said in an email.
Highway 3, the highway running north to Yellowknife from Fort Providence, was closed Saturday afternoon due to wildfire activity, and remains closed Sunday morning.
The Deh Cho Bridge, which crosses the Mackenzie River on the way to Hay River, has periodically been down to one lane due to construction, but Beaulieu confirmed it is currently open to two lanes of traffic.
