Alberta investigators to look into how N.W.T. gov't handled Reid Lake fire

The N.W.T. government has hired fire investigators from Alberta to look into what caused and how they subsequently handled a wildfire that closed a highway, forced evacuations and destroyed a fishing lodge.

Officials say the Reid Lakefire,whichstarted near a cabin on Pickerel Lake, is suspected to have been person-caused.

It has since grown to more than 6,400 hectares, and fire crews are still battling it.

The fire forced evacuations ofthe Reid Lake campground, which remains closed, and Camp Connections, a camp for foster children, whichhas been turned into a base for fire crews.

The fire also led to closures of the Ingraham Trail east of Yellowknife, and forced people to leaveseveral private cabinson Reid Lake.

• PHOTOS |Namushka Lodge consumed by Reid Lake forest fire Friday night
• 'Within about 10 minutes we were into the fire,' says camper evacuated from Reid Lake
• No gear, no problem: Camp Connections regroups at Yellowknife site

On July 15, the fire swept into NamushkaLodge onHardingLake and destroyed it. Investigators will look into howfire officials handled communication withthelodge before the fire struck.

The owners of the lodge have said they had no warning from the department about the fire and were lucky to get out alive.

• 'We could have lost lives:' N.W.T. fishing lodge wasn't warned of approaching fire

The investigators' report is expected to be completed in a few weeks butwill not be made public.