Four communities around La Ronge, Sask., receive wildfire evacuation orders
Residents of multiple communities in the La Ronge area have been given mandatory evacuation orders after an uncontained wildfire moved closer over the weekend and into Monday.
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An update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) at 6 p.m. Monday said all communities within a 20-kilometre radius of La Ronge are required to evacuate, noting that the fire had already 'breached' the nearby airport.
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La Ronge — about 240 kilometres north of Prince Albert — is billed as the largest town in northern Saskatchewan with a population of about 2,500.
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As of Monday, over 8,000 people were displaced and 163 structures (including cabins) had been lost to fire.
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Sucker River, Wadin Bay, English Bay and Nemeiben received the area's first evacuation orders on Monday morning, followed later in the day by La Ronge, Lac La Ronge, and Air Ronge. The three latter communities — plus Stanley Mission — had been placed on standby notice earlier in the day.
Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson issued the order for Sucker Bay at 10 a.m. due to the shifting advancement of the blaze (known as the Pisew fire).
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An evacuation notice from the SPSA followed at around 11:30 a.m. for the other three subdivisions: Wadin Bay, English Bay and Nemeiben. It advised residents to travel south to La Ronge for co-ordinated supports.
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La Ronge, Lac La Ronge and Air Ronge were added to the evacuation list late Monday afternoon, along with nearby Napatak, Eagle Point, Lamp Lake, Rabbit Creek and Potato Lake.
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People driving their own vehicles from the area are being directed to take Highway 2 south and head to the Days Inn in Prince Albert. Those who need to catch transport by bus are to go to the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre in La Ronge.
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Highway 165 south from Besnard Lake and Highway 969 to Timber Bay were both closed due to smoke and fire. Highway 915 into Stanley Mission was also expected to be compromised.
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Help on the way?
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On Monday afternoon, SPSA vice-president of operations Steve Roberts said there were 18 wildfires actively burning in Saskatchewan, with six not contained and four under assessment.
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'We are looking at a potential for light showers maybe towards the end of the week, but we still have a number of days of extreme fire weather in front of us,' Roberts said.
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Situated between Prince Albert and La Ronge, residents of Molanosa and Timber Bay were evacuated Sunday due to heavy smoke caused by another wildfire (known as the Ditch fire), which is still spreading near Montreal Lake. The hamlet of Weyakwin was previously evacuated from the area on May 28.
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