← Back

Wildfire near Fort Simpson (Jun 27)

Active · 66,708 ha (164,839 acres) · started 2026-06-27 · updated 2026-08-09

Wildfire near Fort Simpson (Jun 27) — Sentinel-2 true color Wildfire near Fort Simpson (Jun 27) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego) True color Fire (SWIR)
True color (left): as the eye sees it.
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire

Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Burning for 43 days since its June 27 start near Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories, an active wildfire in the Dehcho Region has steadily expanded across 66,708 hectares (164,839 acres), averaging an approximate daily growth of 1,551 hectares per day.

Satellite monitoring over the past 48 hours has detected 157 heat signatures clustered nearby, illustrating the expansive reach and continued progression of the fire front across the landscape.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from May to September. Nationally, the broader context shows that 2,202,999 hectares have burned so far in 2026, tracking 48% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Northwest Territories for 61 days. So far it has affected roughly 66,708 ha (164,839 acres) — about 667 km².

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.

The bigger picture in Canada

Across Canada, roughly 2,504,979 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 41% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

Follow this fire

We'll email you if it grows, containment advances, or it ends.

Get wildfire alerts near here An email when satellites detect new fire in this area. Free, no account.

Community reports

Reports from people near the fire · unverified

No reports yet. Nearby? Be the first to report.

Be the first to report what is happening →

Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.

More fires in Northwest Territories

See all wildfires in Canada →
← Live wildfire map