Firefighting efforts increase in province

Fire fighting in northern Saskatchewan is still ongoing, with personnel prioritizing protecting communities. A call for volunteer firefighters brought 300 people to be trained and added to the crews already fighting.

“We saw some continued activity in terms of fire suppression in and around the communities,” said Duane McKay, commissioner of emergency management with the province.

There are 127 active fires in the province. So far this year there have been 621 wildfires, compared to 223 last year. From July 12-13, four fires were reported as out, while seven new ones started up.

A main priority for personnel is to secure the communities and make them safe for people to return as quickly as possible. Already there are some bright spots-- Grandmother’s Bay residents who were evacuated due to health problems that could be exacerbated by the fire were able to return to their homes over the weekend. To determine whether it’s safe to return, personnel assess several things – the distance of the fire, health risks, and whether the fire is likely to flare up again.

“That is our priority; to ensure that not only are people allowed to go home, but that they’re safe and secure in those areas,” McKay said.

La Ronge is not yet so lucky. The fire continues to move with the wind and crews are working on securing the town. There are 63 fires burning in the area. One has encroached past the airport at the edge of the town. Another is burning within “a couple of kilometres” on the west side of town.
There are just under 1,500 personnel fighting fires on the ground, which includes fire crews, volunteers, out-of-province resources, and military personnel.

“There are significant resources on the ground working on these fires to support communities and infrastructure,” said Steve Roberts, executive director of wildfire management.

The efforts are using 59 helicopters and 20 air tankers. Though smoke has cleared up in Humboldt, Roberts said there will be heavy smoke on the west side of the province because of wind.

After there was a call for volunteers, about 600 signed up. From there, some people were turned down after answering questions about their skill set, physical ability, and location. Three hundred volunteers were approved and put through training.

“We’ve received resources from far and wide to help us,” Roberts said.

Over 10,000 people have been displaced and have sought assistance during their evacuation. The bulk of evacuees are staying in Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Regina. Karri Kempf, manager of information and emergency services with the province, said that evacuees are being treated well and embraced by the communities they’re staying in. She also added that any call for resources and donations has been met, and that there is no call for donations at this time.

There are 12 highways of varying lengths closed due to wildfires.

McKay said there has been a significant traffic increase in the Weyakwin area and he cautions people to stay out.

“This does create some difficulty for the fire operations working in those areas,” he said. “We request people restrict traveling into these areas.”

The province will issue an all clear when it’s safe to return.