WHITEHORSE — Yukon has rescinded a week-old evacuation order that it put in place for the Village of Mayo due to a threatening nearby wildfire.
The community of about 450 people, which is located about 400 kilometres north of Whitehorse, was put under evacuation order on Aug. 6, but is now under evacuation alert, meaning residents should be prepared to leave on short notice if the situation worsens.
The Talbot Creek Fire, which is one of 138 fires burning in the territory, has charred around 50 square kilometres and though crews remain on site, the government says "weather conditions remain favourable for firefighting efforts."
Meanwhile, the remote fly-in community of Old Crow, which is located about 800 kilometres north of Whitehorse and is home to about 250 people, remains on evacuation order.
This comes after Environment Canada issued air-quality statements for Dawson, Mayo and Old Crow due to nearby wildfires.
The weather office says smoke is causing or is expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility in those regions for the next 24 to 48 hours.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2023.
The Canadian Press
