Old Crow, Yukon, residents asked to pack for possible evacuation

The Vuntut Gwitchin Government says Old Crow, Yukon,is under an evacuation alert.

The government is asking residents to prepare by packing a three-day evacuation bag with all essentials.

"There is no immediate danger to the community and it is important that everyone remains calm and continues to work together and stay connected," reads a notice.

The nearest fire is about 12 kilometres away, north of Old Crow at Berry Hill.

"There was a decision made in community to proceed with clearing a fire break from the road up Crow Mountain to the river," reads the notice.

As a result, the road up Crow Mountain is closed.

The government saidit will issue an evacuation order if a fire is within five kilometres of the community.

If that happens, RCMP will sound sirens and government staff will go to elders and knock on doors "as required."

'Things could escalate rapidly'

James Smith, executive director of the Vuntut Gwitchin Government, said that some people have already been taken out of the community because of the "intense" amount or smoke.

"Old Crow has over the last number of dayshad the worst air quality in the Yukon," he said.

He said some residents can recall the last time a wildfire threatenedOld Crow, in the early '90s, fromwhat's now called the Burnt Hill areajust north of town.

"That's exactly where a new fire is. So it's causing some concern for everybodythat remembers that fire," he said.

"All that we need is a bit of aweather change and things could escalate rapidly. So we're just trying to get prepared and have everybody inthe community aware."

The Gwitchin government has set up a command centre at the Darius Elias community hall, where residents can go to get out of heat and smoke.

The notice said a burn specialist with the Yukon government was travelling to the community to assess the situation on Tuesday.

Smith says some people in Old Crow have questioned the efforts that have gone into protecting the Eagle gold mine in central Yukon, and compared it to the response seen in their community.

"We've got twocrew members from Wildland Fire on the ground, and everybody here has been asking for more resources on the ground to help," Smith said.

"So everybody in the community is just looking forward to getting that response from the Yukon government, and support, so that we feel that we're not being neglected in Old Crow."