Forest Fire Season has begun

Smoke as seen near Carmacks

Smoke from wildfire near Carmacks

Smoke seen on the Klondike Hwy

Smoke from wildfire

Smoke billowing over the tree tops

The same cloud spotted from Pelly Crossing

Extreme Fire Danger warning

Here we go - forest fire season is now in full swing in the Yukon.  This weekend's lightening storms and unseasonably hot and dry weather have ignited a handful of wildfires throughout the Territory.

Last night as I was driving along the Klondike Hwy I spotted an ominous smoke cloud dominating the skies near Carmacks.  From reading fire reports and chatting with locals the smoke is from a fire burning near Frenchman Lake (some 72 km east of Carmacks).  The fire began Monday evening and continues to burn today.  Approximately 5000 ha have already been affected.  Officials are worried that the fire may reach the confluence of the Teslin and Yukon Rivers within days. Canoeists have been advised to avoid paddling near the area.

A polarizing filter was used to capture these images as the filter accentuated the textures and patterns in the smoke cloud.  The polarizer also highlighted the greens and blues in the image.  I also included a variety of foregrounds to add a sense of scale of the true extent of this powerful force of nature.

To date there have already been 26 forest fires in the Yukon.

I'll keep you posted with latest developments.

Cheers,

Claus

UPDATE:  Fri June 3rd - the fire has grown to12,000 ha!