During a town meeting held Tuesday in Keno City, Yukon, residents were given notice that their transfer station will be closed in September. When that happens, they'll be left to drive their own waste to Mayo, about 45 kilometres away.
When Keno City was put under an evacuation alert last week because of wildfires, local residents hurried to finish assembling their fire protection system. The community, which has been without protection since its fire truck was removed by the Yukon government in 2019, is frustrated with how little the government is doing to protect them from fire.
Yukon RCMP are remaining tightlipped about the fire that destroyed the Keno City Hotel last Friday night, shocking the residents of the tiny central Yukon community.
“Yukon RCMP completed their initial investigation of the fire at the Keno City Hotel on Monday, December 14,” police said in a brief statement Wednesday afternoon.
“Officers are continuing to canvass for witnesses and are furthering the investigation.
“No further information will be released at this time as the investigation is active.”
Leo Martel, the owner of the century-old, uninsured landmark, told the Star Monday he believes the hotel was deliberately burned down, as he saw unexplained tracks in the snow near the rear, unused portion of the complex.
Revised - The tragic loss of the historic Keno City Hotel last Friday night has highlighted the potentially precarious position of many small Yukon communities when it comes to emergencies such as fires.
The hotel was lost partly because emergency responders had to come from Mayo because Keno no longer has an active fire department.
The trucks took 90 minutes to arrive, while witnesses say the hotel was a cinder within 30 minutes of the blaze being noticed.
The Keno City Residents’ Council has now demanded an independent inquiry into the state of fire and emergency protection in the community.
Its members have sent an open letter to the government outlining their dissatisfaction. It was also provided to local media outlets.