Residents of N.W.T. community being allowed home after weeklong wildfire evacuation

WHATÌ, N.W.T. – Residents of a First Nation community in the Northwest Territories are set to return home just over a week after being forced to flee because of a wildfire.

The Community Government of Whati says essential workers returned Friday and its roughly 600 residents will be allowed back Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

It says the decision to lift the evacuation order was made after a “careful assessment of the situation on the ground.”

The community roughly 250 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife was ordered to evacuate on Aug. 29.

NWT Fire says a wildfire is burning roughly seven kilometres south of Whati Airport.

The fire is more than 270 square kilometres in size and burning out of control, but officials say it isn’t expected to reach the community.