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An evacuation order for a portion of Highway 3 between Behchokǫ̀ and Yellowknife has been downgraded to an alert as of Saturday evening.
The evacuation order was for property owners between kilometres 284 and 306 along the highway.
“Those in the area should remain on alert and be ready to leave on short notice as this wildfire continues to be managed nearby,” reads an update from N.W.T. Fire.
The order had been in place for roughly a day, but N.W.T. Fire said changing winds mean the risk to the area has died down.
The highway also reopened Saturday evening after being closed for about three hours.
The fire reached within one kilometre of the highway at its nearest point.
N.W.T. Fire said Saturday no additional homes or cabins are known to have been lost as the fire grew toward Yellowknife and Highway 3, beyond the 19 structures that burned last week.
The agency said the fire is now 35 kilometres away from Yellowknife and is not threatening the city.
“Tomorrow [Sunday], winds expected to shift to the east — which will push the fire back into areas which have already burned, and away from Yellowknife,” reads the update.
Earlier Saturday, city officials said crews were installing sprinkler systems and creating fire breaks to the west.
The fire’s burn area has now been measure at more than 115,000 hectares.
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