Helicopter deployed to put out fire on Yellowknife's Tin Can Hill

A small fire is burning on Tin Can Hill in Yellowknife and emergency crews are responding, according to N.W.T. Fire on Saturday afternoon.

Wildfire officials told CBCNews that the N.W.T.'s Environment and Natural Resources department is deploying a helicopter and bucket to help put it out.

The city reported the fire along the shorelines of Tin Can Hill, said N.W.T. Fire in a Facebook message.

Yellowknifer Daniel Campbell said he noticed the fire at about 3:30 p.m., Saturday, while on a houseboat on Yellowknife Bay.

"I'm looking at it right now actually," said Campbell.

It quickly grew and we were starting to see flames and a lot more smoke.- Yellowknifer Daniel Campbell

He said the fire seemed to be burning off the shore of Tin Can Hill, near the water treatment plant.

"Initially there was a lot of smoke. It looked almost like a very smokey campfire-sized fire. But it quickly grew and we were starting to see flames and a lot more smoke," said Campbell.

Campbell said he couldn't see any emergency crews just before 4 p.m., but heard sirens.

"I don't think they'll be able to reach it with their vehicles It's on the steep rocky side near the shore," he said.

A CBC reporter who witnessed the firesaid she saw a helicopter dumping water on the fire at about 4:15 p.m.

Campbell said he phoned the fire in to theN.W.T. government's wildfire hotline.