Defensive lines have rapidly been carved into the earth surrounding several NWT communities threatened by wildfires.

In Yellowknife, close to 25 km of firebreak is essentially complete, Mayor Rebecca Alty said on Saturday evening.

SA国际影视传媒淲ith a lot of hard work leading up to today (Aug. 19), weSA国际影视传媒檙e in a good position when it comes to our defensive lines on the west side of our community,SA国际影视传媒� Alty said.

Water cannons, sprinklers, hoses and pipe line much of the route, a wide swath of cleared vegetation stretching all the way to Dettah.

It took more than 200 frontline staff and numerous pieces of heavy equipment to get the job done, according to Chris Greencorn, YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 director of public works.

SA国际影视传媒淚ronically enough, in a city surrounded by water, itSA国际影视传媒檚 very hard to get it where we needed it to be but weSA国际影视传媒檝e managed to do that,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

All the effort represents essentially two City of Yellowknife full construction seasons executed in less than six days.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is no small feat and I canSA国际影视传媒檛 stress how truly impressive it really is,SA国际影视传媒� said Greencorn. SA国际影视传媒淭he city would never have been able to accomplish this SA国际影视传媒� or a fraction of it SA国际影视传媒� without our friends in the contracting and volunteer community. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 never been a more clear example of the Yellowknife and Northern spirit.SA国际影视传媒�

As of Saturday, the closest wildfire was 16 km from the NWT capital at its nearest point. The blaze was slowed somewhat by cooler temperatures and light rain on Saturday, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 expected to pick up steam again.

SA国际影视传媒淭his fireSA国际影视传媒檚 taking a nap. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 going to wake up. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e got a serious situation to handle here,SA国际影视传媒� said Mike Westwick, who handles communications for the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

READ MORE: Rain helps keep wildfires at bay SA国际影视传媒� for now

In Hay River, the nearest wildfire had advanced to within eight kilometres from the town while in Fort Smith there was just four kilometres separating the community from the flames to the south.

Parks Canada stated on Sunday that the Wood Buffalo Complex SA国际影视传媒� the name given to a group of wildfires SA国际影视传媒� had grown to an extraordinary 408,803 hectares.

A total of 250 personnel, 55 pieces of heavy equipment and 25 helicopters joined forces to combat the massive inferno.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver the coming days, crews will work to complete a continuous control line using mechanical guards, sprinkler lines and natural features that runs south of Highway 5 from Salt River all the way to Fort Fitzgerald (Alta.),SA国际影视传媒� Parks Canada stated. SA国际影视传媒淪tructural protection personnel will finish work in the Bell Rock area today and will begin setting up in the Tamarack area. In the coming days, teams will work towards having all structural protection or natural control lines around all values at risk between Salt River and Fort Fitzgerald.SA国际影视传媒�