A week of fires in Dawson and the Yukon

Good morning,

We’ll keep today’s intro pretty short as there’s lots of important news about the fires in the territory.

I’m looking to get some quotes from anyone in Dawson. If you live in the town or the surrounding area, and want to share your experience up there so far, just hit reply and I’ll get back to you. The same goes for anyone else in the territory who’s been impacted by the fires.

Lastly, a big thank you to all the fire teams working so hard throughout the territory to keep everyone safe.

Let’s dive into today’s newsletter!

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout founder

The Yukon Weather Report

THE YUKON NUMBER

300 km

Sadly, this year’s Yukon River Quest has been shortened for the second year in a row. The race will once again change from 715 km to 300 km, stopping at Carmacks instead of Dawson. [CBC]

PUBLIC SAFETY

A week of fires in Dawson and the Yukon

What happened: Well, that escalated quickly. Last week, there were 17 fires and now there are 75 in the territory, as of last night, with many impacting Dawson and the surrounding area. We’re breaking down all the biggest fire news you need to know. 

Over in Dawson: Wildland Fire is currently focusing resources around populated areas in the Klondike area, including West Dawson, Sunnydale, Moosehide, Klondike Valley and areas along the Dempster Highway.

There are three fires of real concern — Quebec Creek north west of Dawson, which has burned 3,710 hectares, Rabbit Creek west of the Dempster which has burned 12,149 acres and Mount Leotta south of the Klondike Highway, which has burned 7,161 acres.

• In total, there are 29 active fires in the Klondike area, though only those three are of concern right now.  

Of note, as of yesterday evening, the Mount Leotta fire had reached the highway between kilometres 667 and 675, but had not crossed it. There is also a fire at the Goldfields, though roads remain open. 

Evacuation alerts are in place for West Dawson and Sunnydale, properties along Top of the World Highway from kilometres 1-36, the Dempster Highway Cutoff and Henderson Corner, and properties along Klondike Highway between kilometres 693-672. This does not mean people need to evacuate, but they should be prepared. 

Road status: As of 5 pm last night, no roads were closed around Dawson, though travel into Dawson from the west, the beginning of the Dempster highway, and from km 655 was not recommended. There will be traffic delays from kilometres 656 to 696 on the Klondike Highway.

• Outside Dawson: Ethel Lake has also been issued an evacuation alert, and camping is closed at Ethel Lake Campground. The North Ferry Hill fire is burning north of Stewart Crossing and Silver Lake Trail, and has a modified response. 

By the numbers: A total of 58,967 acres have been burned, with 28 fires requiring a full response. The map below is accurate as of 5 pm on Wednesday.

Fire ban: Wildland Fire has moved fire restrictions to level three, meaning fires are only allowed in fire pits or other containers throughout the territory. 

This chart breaks down the Air Quality Index scores. Anything 151 and above is considered unhealthy, while anything above 200 is very unhealthy. For context as to how bad it got, there were only seven cities in the world yesterday that had an index score of above 150. 

It’s been a tough few weeks for residents across the Yukon when it comes to air quality. We’ve put together a chart outlining just how bad it’s been. At certain points throughout the last few weeks, Dawson and Whitehorse have had some of the worst air quality in the world.

Looking ahead: Beyond the fire danger, air quality will continue to be poor in Dawson, which is projected to be above 100 today and tomorrow. The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Community Hall has a clean air shelter for anyone suffering from the smoke. 

For anyone travelling in the area, it’s best to travel in the morning or late at night when wildfire activity is lower, meaning it’s safer to travel.

• I posted in a Facebook group about interviewing anyone in Dawson about the fires. One person pointed out that I should not be visiting. I was planning on doing phone or email interviews, but their point is correct — no one should be visiting during these times. Hold off on your trip till the fires settle down! 

Here is a list of useful links and sites to follow at this time:

• 511 Yukon for road conditions and closures

• The Yukon emergency update page: 

• The campground status page 

• Use the Alertable app for government alerts

Information is accurate as of yesterday evening. Things are changing quickly, so stay up to date by following relevant government information.

THE AGENDA

🕜️ Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary (though anniversary hardly feels like the right word choice) of the heap leach failure at the Eagle Gold Mine. Now, the receiver of the mine, PricewaterhouseCoopers, is preparing to sell the mine. The Yukon government will not necessarily have a say in who it’s sold to. [Mining.com]

🗳️ The Yukon Liberal Party members selected Mike Pemberton as their new leader and soon-to-be Premier, winning the race by 13 votes out of a total of 873 votes cast. Pemberton announced he has no plans for a snap summer election. He will be sworn in as Premier on Friday. An election has to take place before Nov. 3. [CBC] 

📈 Expect your energy bill to be higher starting on July 1. Yukon Energy received approval by the Yukon Utilities Board to raise the rates by 10 per cent, to fund over 150 different upcoming projects. The decision was approved on an interim basis until the board can make a final decision on the rate increase. 

🐻 The new Yukon Hunting Regulations Summary has been released. Some of the key changes include bison hunting season closing on March 24, and the prohibition of hunting grizzlies within 100 metres on Haines Road from Gribbles Gulch to Unnamed Creek #1. 

🏞️ The Yukon has a new territorial park. The Government of Yukon, with the support of Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and the City of Whitehorse, has designated Chasàn Chùa (McIntyre Creek) as a new park. This includes 36 square kilometres of land, with mineral staking now banned in the area.

Haines Junction council will be discussing a number of issues at their council meeting tonight, including hiring another Solid Waste Management Facility staff member, a byaw to provide grants for developers who build rental housing, and a zoning bylaw amendment.

HOME OF THE WEEK

If you’ve ever dreamed of leaving the big city (Whitehorse) for the countryside (Teslin), then this may be your future home!

This two-bedroom, one-bathroom 1,142 square foot home is near the lake, has a modernized guest cabin for friends to visit, plus a big kitchen for hosting those friends when they decide to leave that cabin. It’s a big piece of property, perfect for any RV or other toys.

Your dream almost-waterfront property will set you back this much…

BURGER RANKINGS

Hits and misses with The Bistro’s burger

The sound of ABBA’s classic song “Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again” coaxed out of the speakers at The Bistro in Carcorss, as a burger was dropped down in front of me. Yes readers, here we go again, it was the beginning of another Yukon Burger Review.

After a 10km run through Montana Mountain, and a 16km run and hike on the Sam McGee Trail the day before, I was ready to stop moving and start eating. It was my first time at The Bistro, the local Carcross institution that opens for the summer. As the kids say, the vibe was immaculate — sunny, beer flowing, people happy, you could easily spend an afternoon there. 

The ABBA song is about an on-again, off-again relationship with a man who repeatedly cheats. While burgers have never been unfaithful, there’s certainly an on-again, off-again relationship with burgers in the Yukon. Few have ascended to true burger heights. Would this one be any different?

I ordered the classic burger. The first good sign was the bun, an almost brioche version that was soft and fresh, studded with sesame seeds. It came with cheese, two thin meat slices, lettuce, tomato, red onion and a small dollop of what I think was mayo. 

On the positive side, it looked extremely fresh, with cheese meeting in between the meat, creating that stringy effect. It’s as close to a smash burger as I’ve come across, with two thin patties with a hint of char. While the cheese was delightful and the meat hot and juicy (yes!), the taste just wasn’t there, needing more salt to bring out the flavour (no!). 

Another unfortunate issue was the thick red onion, almost overpowering the meat. Best to cook up the onions or slice them thinner. There was also a lack of sauce on the burger, which is usually fine if the meat has lots of flavour.

We don’t review the fries, but they were undercooked and not salted enough. Someone, please, point me in the direction of good fries! Maybe the correct order was the poutine, which, judging by the food orders at the table next to me, looked outstanding.

This was a tough one to rate. I’m going to give them a 7.8. It certainly seems high for what you just read, but the meat seemed to have a higher quality than what many other places are serving.

Here’s the updated burger rankings!

EVENTS

Events outside Whitehorse are highlighted.

Family + Kids

Nature Sprites | Minto Park, Dawson City | June 25–27, 1–4 pm | Crafts, nature play for grades K–1 | Tickets $50

Haunted Yukon History Walk | MacBride Museum, 1124 Front St | June 27 at 6 pm | Eerie tales from Whitehorse’s haunted past on a guided storytelling walk | Tickets $11

Atlin Canada Day Parade | Starts at REC Centre Parking Lot, Atlin | July 1, 11 am | Floats, bikes, dogs welcome, cupcakes at Tarahne Park | Free

Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Cultural Day | Mayo Waterfront Park, Mayo | July 1 at 11 am | Traditional food, dancing, singing, crafts, and canoe races celebrating Na-Cho Nyäk Dun culture | Free

Canada Day at Shipyards Park | Shipyards Park, 100 Ogilvie St | July 1 from 12 pm | Family-friendly music, food vendors, and kids activities for Canada Day | Free

Art Adventures for Youth | Yukon Artists at Work Gallery, 4129 4th Ave | July 2–5 at 1 pm | Youth-led creative workshops exploring art techniques and mixed media | Free

Music in the Park: Calla Kinglit | Riverside Park, 200 Main St | July 3 at 7:30 pm | Outdoor summer concert with indie folk artist Calla Kinglit by the river | Free

First Fish 2025 | Moosehide Village, near Dawson City | July 11–16 | Learn Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in traditions, fish & culture | Free with registration

Youth Wildcrafting Programs | Dawson City | Multiple dates in July | For kids 5+, learn outdoor skills and survival strategies | Register

Augusto! Children’s Festival | St. Elias Convention Centre, Haines Junction | Aug. 8-10 | Art and music festival that celebrates children | Learn more

Arts + Music

Our Lady Peace Concert | Shipyards Park | June 28, 5 pm | A free concert featuring Our Lady Peace!

Classic Movies on the Big Screen: E.T. | Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, 1171 Front St | July 3 at 7 pm | Family movie night featuring Spielberg’s classic E.T. with concessions available | Tickets $10

2025 Atlin Arts & Music Festival | Tarahne Provincial Park, Atlin | July 11-13 | Come see over 30 bands, visual artists, films and more! | Tickets $186

Short Walks for Short Nights at ‘Round Back | 27 14 Ave. Whitehorse | July 24, 7-9 pm | Live performances, storytelling, musicians and artists | Tickets $12

Dawson City Music Festival | Downtown Dawson City | Jul. 18-20 | Over 25 artists and bands from across Canada | Tickets $195

Outdoors and Sports

Murder Mystery at the MacBride | MacBride Museum, 1124 Front St | July 4 at 6:30 pm | Interactive detective game set in historic Whitehorse—solve a thrilling mystery | Tickets $15

Knee-high nature: Mini mammals | Robert Service Campground | July 8, 10 am | For toddlers and caregivers, join us for free to learn all about bats, rodents, and more | Learn more

Marsh Lake Madness Triathlon | Jul. 1 | A normal triathlon, but with paddling instead of swimming! | Learn more

Midnight Sun Ultimate Frisbee Tournament | Christ the King Elementary School | July 5th | A  day of frisbee, food, fun and a party under the midnight sun | Learn More & Register

Pika Palace | Keno Hill, Mayo | July 13, 11 am | We'll do a short off-trail hike to look for alpine wildlife | More info

Pine Lake Triathlon | Pine Lake, Haines Junction| | Jul. 20, 8 am | 1 km swim, 23 km bike and 6km run | Register here

Discovery Day Golf Tournament | Dawson City Golf Course, Dawson City | Aug. 14-16, 2:00 pm | 18-hole team scramble with prizes and banquet | Learn more

Other

The Big Print Steamroller Event | Shipyards Park, 100 Ogilvie St | July 1 from 12 pm | Artists print large block designs using an actual steamroller press | Free

Yukon African Cultural Day | Shipyards Park, 100 Ogilvie St | July 6 from 1 pm | Celebrating African heritage with food, music, dance, and community sharing | Free

Indigenous Summer Play Readings | Village Bakery & Deli, 186 Auriol St, Haines Junction | July 20, 12 pm to 2:30 pm | Readings of two new Indigenous scripts | Free

George Johnston Museum 50th Anniversary | George Johnston Museum, 17 Nisutlin Dr, Teslin | July 18, 11:30 am to 3:30 pm | Speeches, lunch, art fair & cultural demos | Free

Have an event or a community announcement? Submit it here.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

🌊 A heads up — water levels are extremely high in the Kluane National Park and Reserve, so be careful when crossing. 

⚡️ Those on Robinson Road, at lots 496–650 even, 173–649 odd, excluding 193, will have a power outage on Monday from 10 am to 12 pm while new construction takes place. 

🐻 New signs have gone up in Haines Junction along the Trans Canada Trail about high-frequency bear paths. 

🐕️ In some good, non-fire news for Dawson, the Humane Society has two puppies up for adoption!

🐟️ You can register for the Kluane Lake Fishing Derby at the Destruction Bay Community Hall at 6 pm on Friday. It’s $60 for adults and $30 for kids, along with burgers and hot dogs. 

💰️ The Yukon Beringa Interpretive Centre is part of the Canada Strong Pass, meaning anyone under 18 can visit for free, while 18-24 get half off all summer.  

📜 You no longer have to pay a fee to reclaim your traditional Indigenous name on government birth certificates.

🐻 Someone filmed a cute video of a bear and bear cubs here in the Yukon (I think and hope from the safety of their car)

YUKON JOB BOARD

Discover a new job in the Yukon:

• Youth Program Coordinator, Whitehorse Nordic Centre: Lead XC ski programs for ages 4–12. XC skiing experience required. Full-time position starts Oct 2025. Learn more and apply [Sponsored

• Junior Development Program Coordinator, Whitehorse Nordic Centre: Lead our youth XC ski program (ages 11–18). XC skiing experience required. 200 hrs/season starting Aug 1. Learn more and apply [Sponsored]

• Public works maintenance worker, Village of Teslin

• Operations manager, Town of Faro

• Kitchen helper, Baked Cafe and Bakery in Whitehorse

POLL OF THE WEEK

Someone asked a question over on Reddit that I thought was very interesting. They asked if Main Street feels outdated. It was in response to Whitehorse asking people’s opinions about a new downtown commons area, like Carcross.

Having visited Carcross this weekend, I personally feel like it’s a great idea to have a commons area like that. While it’s, of course, a lot of tourists, there were lots of locals enjoying a drink at the Bistro. I’m sure Whitehorse could do something similar.

So what do you think? Should Whitehorse have an area like Carcross Commons? Let us know in the poll below. After you vote, you’ll be directed to the city’s survey. Or if you want to skip ours, you can head directly to the city’s survey.

IMAGE OF THE DAY

I grabbed this photo from the Yukon First Nations Wildlife page. A big thank you to all the firefighters and first responders across the territory for their work keeping everyone safe.