Evacuation Alert for the Village of Keno and Hecla Mine

August 6, 2023 - 2:30pm

The Yukon Emergency Measures Organization has issued an evacuation alert for the Village of Keno and Hecla Mine. This alert is in response to danger from the Talbot Creek fire (MA-033), which is located about 7 kilometres south of Mayo on the other side of the river and potential road closures and impacts to the Silver Trail by Mayo. Keno and Hecla Mine are not currently under threat of wildfire.

An evacuation order was issued today for the Village of Mayo, including all properties along the Silver Trail between kilometers 35 and 66.

If you are in this area, you are not being asked to evacuate your property. An evacuation alert gives you time to prepare yourself and your property so that you can leave safely if ever an evacuation order were to become necessary.

After receiving this evacuation alert, you should consider:

• Connecting with all family members to determine a plan and designate a safe meeting place;
• Moving grab-and-go bags to a readily accessible location;
• Gathering essential items such as medication, eyeglasses, valuable papers and immediate care needs for dependents;
• Arranging transport in anticipation of a potential evacuation order; be sure to fill your gas tank should you need to evacuate suddenly;
• Arranging accommodation for your household. In the event of an evacuation order, emergency accommodation will be provided if required; · Monitoring local news sources and Yukon.ca/emergencies for updated information on the status of the fire and impact on the area.
• Community members impacted by wildfire evacuation alerts are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services (ESS) by phoning 867-332-4597. Registration with ESS allows you to receive urgent assistance when needed.

An evacuation order may be issued if the fire directly threatens the Silver Trail. If an evacuation order is issued, you should be prepared to leave within two hours of being notified.