NationalTalk: Released today, the independent third-party review of the unprecedented 2023 wildfire season and the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) wildfire response recommends enhancements to wildfire prevention, mitigation and response activities, many of which are already being implemented by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) and the wildfire management team across the Northwest Territories (NWT).

The review’s findings are organized under the following key themes:

• Fire Behaviour Modelling
• Human Resources – Capacity
• Human Resource – Training and Skills Management
• Aviation Resources
• Equipment Management and Infrastructure
• Incident Command System Discipline
• Policy, Strategy, and Procedures
• Wildfire and Wildfire Response Information Sharing
• Coordination with Municipal Governments and Indigenous Governments

• Prevention and Community Protection
• Budgeting and Reporting Structure

The GNWT has provided responses to all recommendations in appendix D of the final report. Many lessons were apparent throughout the review process and have already been applied during the 2024 wildfire season.

• In response to community feedback, ECC worked with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and community governments to develop a refreshed wildfire event notification protocol to ensure communities are well-informed during wildfire events.
• Fire crews and other seasonal wildfire management personnel were brought on earlier to be ready to respond successfully to a series of overwinter fires.
• Aircraft were brought into service earlier to be ready to respond successfully to early season fire activity.
• In response to the gap demonstrated during last year’s critical incident, improved mental health services based on the Critical Incident Stress Management model were deployed this season. A standing offer agreement will be sought to offer ongoing, culturally appropriate services for the wildfire management team.
• A Joint Information Committee was established early in the season to coordinate the provision of information across government during periods of elevated threat, responding to gaps which became clear in 2023.
• Significant investments have been made in advancing wildfire prevention and mitigation programming in the NWT, including the launch of two new programs to support residents, as well as increased outreach with communities and local fire departments. This work will continue to be enhanced going forward.

Continuous improvement is always the goal of wildfire managers in the NWT. Work will continue to implement the recommendations of the after-action review going forward.

Quote(s)

“I welcome the findings and recommendations of the after-action review and applaud everyone involved in the thorough review of the 2023 wildfire season. We have been steadily building upon previous years’ processes, procedures and preparedness, and will continue this work in our wildfire management program to continue to improve wildfire response in the future.”

– Jay Macdonald, Minister, Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

• The report is the culmination of work completed since December 2023.
• Participants included regional and territorial leaders, ECC and other GNWT employees, and select partners and stakeholders who were directly involved in wildfire management activities.
• Review activities included:
  • four in-person regional office workshops,
  • one in-person headquarters workshop,
  • three virtual workshops,
  • fifty-seven in-person and virtual interviews and
  • a review of policies, procedures, decision-making, and documentation.
• A total of 105 participants offered their input and perspectives.
• The 2023 wildfire season saw extreme drought conditions, record temperatures and unusually high winds in many parts of the territory – resulting in extreme fire behaviour.
• For the first time ever, the NWT saw drought code levels (a system for expressing the deficit of moisture in an area) reach as high as 1100 in Fort Smith; nearly triple the level considered to be extreme.
• In some areas, the Build-up Index, an index expressing how much forest fuel there is available to burn, reached two- to three-times what is considered to be extreme.
• Very little rain fell in the North Slave, South Slave, and Sahtu regions throughout the summer, alongside record heat waves and extreme wind events.
• This is the first of two after-action reviews of the 2023 wildfire season, the second being a separate independent review of emergency response focused on emergency preparation, evacuations and public safety operations. Led by Transitional Solutions Inc., the review is currently underway and expected to be released early next year.

Related links

• Northwest Territories 2023 Wildfire Response Review (MNP)
• Get wildfire updates
• Prevent wildfire with these tips
• Prepare for wildfire before it comes with FireSmart NWT
• How wildfire operations work

For media requests, please contact:

Mike Westwick
Manager, Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation
Environment and Climate Change
Government of the Northwest Territories
Mike_Westwick@gov.nt.ca
867-688-0958