PRINCE ALBERT — As of 11 a.m. Friday, July 4, there are 64 active wildfires in Saskatchewan, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). Of these, 20 are not contained, 25 are under ongoing assessment, eight are considered contained, and 11 are classified as protecting values.
So far this year, the province has seen 334 wildfires—well above the five-year average of 195 for this time of year.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for the Resort Subdivision of Lac La Plonge, La Plonge Reserve, the Northern Village of Beauval and Kinoosao. The order for the Northern Settlement of Bear Creek was lifted effective noon on July 4.
Evacuees are asked to register through the Sask Evac Web Application and call 1-855-559-5502 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for assistance. The Canadian Red Cross is also providing support and can be reached at 1-800-863-6582.
The SPSA’s Recovery Task Team is meeting with community leaders to co-ordinate support, with efforts focused on debris management, temporary accommodations and mental health.
More than $5.5 million in $500 provincial support payments has been distributed to eligible evacuees aged 18 and older, reaching over 10,000 individuals to date, the SPSA media release said. The SPSA is also co-ordinating retroactive food support for qualifying evacuees not housed in agency-provided hotels.
The agency will provide $40 per day for heads of households and $20 per additional household member, up to $200 daily.
For more information, visit saskpublicsafety.ca, which hosts fire ban maps, evacuation updates and fire safety resources.
