Rain a welcome reprieve for N.W.T. wildfire firefighters

Rain moved into the Yellowknife area Friday, a boon for firefighters working wildfires in the region.

Fires at Awry Lake and Marion Lake now regarded by wildfire managers as the Awry Lake complexhave been slowed by the rain and cooler temperatures.

"The rain definitely helps out," saidAdrian Lizotte, the N.W.T. Environment Department's wildlife and environment manager for the North Slave region.

"Any rain is very helpful [and] it'slooking like it's a downward trend here for the next few days."

The Awry Lake fire 3,555 hectares and 41 kilometres northwest of Yellowknifeis not considered a threat to the city. The fire at Marion Lake, about 12 kilometres north of Behchoko, is 163 hectares and mostly contained.

Crews are doing an awesome job out there, working really hard.- Adrian Lizotte, N.W.T. wildlife and environment manager

Lizottesaid 20 firefightersfrom Ontario made it to camp near theAwry Lake fire Thursday night.

"They'll be shuffled up to the fire line today and they'll continue to mop up [a] section on the east flank," Lizotte said.

"They'll put out all hotspots and secure that area and once we have that objective completed, then we'll move over to the west flank and then we'll do a full suppression."

Marion Lake fire mostly contained

Lizotte said fire crews have 70 per cent of the Marion Lake fire contained.

"Firefighting efforts are really good over there," he said. "Crews are doing an awesome job out there, working really hard, and you know we're going to look at fully suppressing that [fire]"

Lizotte said that over the past week there were 30 new fire starts in the North Slave region, which further strains resources over a short period of time.

Firefighters and managers essentially work around the clock, Lizotte said, andweekends don't mean muchduring the fire season.

• FROM SUNDAY |Poor air quality in Yellowknife as fire northwest of city grows to 2,400 hectares

The firefighting crews from Ontario will give a break toN.W.T. crews who have been working the fires without relief.

"All these people they give up their personal life and are away from their families so that's a tough time for them," Lizotte said.

"But everyone's dedicated their job. You know everyone has a passion for this kind of work."