Nick Pearce/NNSL photo
A lightning storm has sparked a wildfire, dubbed ZF-024, just south of Awry Lake 45 kilometres away from Yellowknife.
ENR spokesperson Meagan Wohlberg said air tankers have carried out an initial attack but the fire is now "out of control."
"It escaped initial attacks and is now 250 hectares (from 140 hectares) in size and is out of control," said Wohlberg.
"The fire danger in the area is extreme and is exhibiting extreme fire behaviour."
That means the blaze is too intense for air tankers to fight and all resources have been pulled off of it. A management team in Yellowknife is now strategizing how to combat the fire.
"No cabins or communities are currently threatened," said Wohlberg.
Currently there are 8 active fires in the North Slave area which are considered out of control or held.
With files from Nick Pearce