In spite of a city-wide fire ban, firefighters were dealing with blazes all around the Whitehorse area over the long weekend.

The city's fire department responded to at least eight nuisance blazes over the past three days, George Maratos, Yukon Wildland Fire Management's spokesman, said today.

"It's kind of scary in terms of location,” Maratos said. "There was one behind the Canada Games Centre and also behind Yukon College.”

The fires were all human-caused, Maratos confirmed, ranging from abandoned campfires to backyard burning without a permit.

Only one of the many fires was reported to wildland fire management; a 0.10-hectare blaze behind the college, believed to be the result of a campfire not being properly extinguished. The fire was out by 10 p.m., according to Maratos.

The city fire department dealt with all the other blazes, he said.

"There was an alarming number of calls from the public this weekend to report abandoned campfires, small grass fires and burning during the time permits were suspended,” said wildland duty officer Mike Sparks.

"This is especially disturbing because the Whitehorse Fire Department issued a ban on all open burning over the weekend but still a number of Yukoners were burning carelessly. With the current conditions, that is reason for concern.”

Wildland fire staff were also investigating several reports of smoke in the Dawson City and Haines Junction areas, and continue to monitor those areas.

Temperatures around the territory continue to be above average. That, combined with limited rain and more lightning strikes, has fire crews on the alert, according to fire officials.

Burning permits are now mandatory throughout the territory until Sept. 30, and are suspended entirely in areas where the fire danger is moderate or higher.

Currently, the entire territory is at a moderate or higher rating.

As of press time early this afternoon, Beaver Creek, Haines Junction, Ross River, Teslin, Watson Lake and Whitehorse were all moderate; Mayo and Old Crow were high; while Carmacks and Dawson City were at an extreme rating.