PRINCE ALBERT - Weather continues to cooperate as Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency continues to make major progress on wildfires in the North.
Vice-President of Operations Steve Roberts noted that the rain and precipitation has significantly helped the fire situation. Only 13 active wildfires are on the landscape today.
In further good news, Roberts reported both the Pelican II fire and the Ditch fire are now officially listed as contained. Work continues on their other significant fires at this time, including some of the larger fires.
Roberts also reports that the weather has also provided enough reprieve that they will be rescinding the fire ban for the remainder of the province at 5 p.m. today.
Roberts reports "no significant changes to the four major fires." The Shoe fire is still not contained. The JAYSMITH fire, the PISEW fire by La Ronge and the WOLF fire by Denare Beach are reporting significant movement, but "lots and lots of activity by folks hoping to achieve containment and security on those large fires while we have the favorable weather so that we do not expect to see these continue, knowing that at some point this summer it is going to warm up again."
Only four highways are impacted by wildfires right now for closures: 912, 927, 106, and 167.
Assessments have been finished in the East Trout Lake area as are the majority of assessments in the Denare Beach area. Roberts said currently there is "confirmed structure loss of over 350 structures plus equipment including things like quads, boats, that kind of equipment."
"By tomorrow we hope to have the numbers of structures that have been damaged and other pieces of value that were damaged for Denare. So currently we are seeing and still expect to see a structure loss exceeding 500."
Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Tim McLeod thanked frontline firefighters and staff, volunteers and community members and spoke about the repatriation efforts.
"We're very pleased to see a significant reduction in the number of active fires and that allows more of our communities to repatriate. We have currently, my understanding, is 34 communities that are either in the process of repatriating or will be very soon. And we certainly hope to see that trend continue as these families are able to return to their homes and to their communities, understanding very much that some of those communities will be returning to a very different situation than they left.
"Specifically, Minister (Eric) Schmalz and I were to tour some of the communities that were touched by the fires late last week. And our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the families that are impacted by those forest fires and we want to make sure that they know that we are here as a government to support them through both the evacuation process and through the repatriation. And we will continue to assist in whatever way is necessary as they work towards the rebuilding of their communities. It was a very powerful experience to fly over specifically the community of Denare Beach, which suffered the most significant losses. And I want to acknowledge those losses of property and homes and businesses in that community.
SPSA President Marlo Pritchard said of the repatriation efforts that "we know that there's probably approximately 10,000 individuals that have returned home or are in the process of returning home."
He adds there are five communities still under evacuation order: Creighton, Denare Beach, East Trout Lake, Whelan Bay, and priority one and priority two individuals from Cumberland House. Pritchard said SPSA currently is working with or supporting 175 evacuees, and there are others that are self-evacuated.
Officials spoke about the government's commitment for an additional $500 of financial support for those evacuated.
"Last week, Minister Schmalz and I sent a letter to all of the community leaders indicating that that financial commitment will be made available to them," said Minister McLeod.
"We are working together collaboratively with them to make sure that we can identify all of the members of their respective communities that qualify for that payment so that we don't miss anyone. And through the assistance of the SPSA, we'll make sure that those funds are delivered to the community members as quickly as possible."
Pritchard elaborated on what was happening with the $500 supports.
"SPSA is in the process and has been in the process this morning and will continue throughout the day of reaching into those communities and speaking to administrators on how best to roll that $500 into the community as quickly as possible, so we will continue to work on that throughout the day."
