[2024-06-17] From about May to October 2023 a series of wildfires occurred across the Northwest Territories. The wildfires were wide-spread geographically and coincided with abnormally high temperatures and a major drought. Significant loss of forests occurred as did loss to private property including homes and infrastructure (roads, fibre optic cables, hydro-electrical transmission lines etc.). The community of Enterprise was consumed. Fort Smith, Hay River, Enterprise, Kátł'odeeche First Nation, Yellowknife, Behchokǫ̀ etc. were all evacuated amongst other locations. Fortunately there was no direct loss of life.
The Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society was not called upon to assist the Government of the Northwest Territories and it was not called upon to assist the City of Yellowknife. The Society has studied this situation in the aftermath and reached its conclusions. The Executive has decided not to disclose that report. In fairness to the two governments, there is no requirement that they make use of amateur radio resources that are available. For information on the role of these two governments in emergencies, see: https://www.ykars.com/index.php/amateur-radio/activities/emergency-preparedness .
The Society was not idle during this period.
- It maintained email communication with the local amateur radio operator in Hay River during the threat and then after the evacuation.
- It maintained a radio watch over its VHF repeater system 24/7 from May until the evacuation of Yellowknife on August 15, 2023. Radiocommunications were maintained in an area with a diameter of about 40 km from the outskirts of Behchokǫ̀ to Tibbet Lake.
- The Society maintained its website from May to October with special postings regarding the emergency including information for evacuees. At one point during a GNWT website failure, this website became very important. This site has been reactivated for the summer of 2024 at https://www.ykars.com/index.php/civil-defence-2 .
- Field Day 2023 was carried out from June 24-25, 2023 and the Society operated a field portable HF station from the Yellowknife Sandpits (Field Day Report 2023: https://www.ykars.com/index.php?view=article&id=139:rac-arrl-field-day-2023&catid=13&highlight=WyJmaWVsZCIsImRheSIsMjAyM10= ).
- The status of the Society’s station at École Saint Patrick School (VE8PAT) was checked after access to that station was restored (access having been blocked by the School during the COVID crisis). A technical inspection was carried out. Security at the station was restored. Plans were made to bring that station into emergency operation around August 13, 2023 (Photo of Station State: https://www.ykars.com/index.php/photos/photos-2023 ).
- A fan out list of available operators (including members of the local amateur radio service who were not members of the Society) was prepared prior to the evacuation order, but it was not sent to the GNWT Emergency Management Officer – the Society Executive decided to follow the order of the Minister (reasons are in the report).
- After August 15, 2023, local amateurs who remained continued to monitor and use the repeater system. They also maintained regular HF contact via national and regional HF nets. They also communicated with evacuees via email.
- At least one evacuee from the Society established a VHF IRLP link in Calgary on 70 cm and offered his services to the local emergency authority.
- YARS maintained its website throughout the evacuation.