Residents of Fort Providence have been told to leave the community as a wildfire moves dangerously closer.

The evacuation order was issued at 9 a.m. on Sunday after the nearby fire, pushed by strong northerly winds, spread significantly overnight. It is now burning within two kilometres of Fort Providence, a community of close to 700 residents.

Southerly winds are forecast for Sunday until the evening, when it's expected to shift back to northerly, which could threaten the community, according to Fire NWT.

"Structure protection specialists in the community have set up sprinklers and water cannons on all structures along the northern perimeter of the community to mitigate potential losses," Fire NWT stated in a Sunday morning news release.

To the west, Jean Marie River, where around 65

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