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Yukon’s Quebec Creek and Mount Leotta Fires Double in Size, Threaten Dawson

Yukon has deployed extra crews alongside air tankers under a strict level-three fire restriction to shield Dawson from two rapidly expanding blazes.

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Overview

  • The Quebec Creek fire has surged to 34 square kilometres and is now 10 kilometres from Upper West Dawson, making direct action difficult.
  • Mount Leotta has grown to 17 square kilometres and is advancing towards the Henderson Corner–Dempster Cutoff area.
  • About 80 homes are under evacuation alert and Dawson City is running on diesel backup power after nearby lines were de-energized.
  • Eight initial-attack crews and a large BC Wildfire Service airtanker are on scene enforcing the territory-wide level-three fire restriction.
  • The North Klondike Highway remains closed from Henderson Corner to the Tintina Trench lookout and Environment Canada has forecast possible thunderstorms over the next two days.