Latest news with #LaRonge
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
‘A moccasin is not just a slipper': Sask. wildfire destroys historic La Ronge Trading Post
A fast-moving wildfire has destroyed the historic Robertson Trading Post in La Ronge, Saskatchewan. Flames swept into the northern town Tuesday night, engulfing the iconic trading post and neighbouring RONA store. Video posted to social media shows both buildings ablaze as ground crews and firefighting helicopters battle the flames. Despite not being fully operational, Robertson Trading held hundreds of pieces of Indigenous art and historical artifacts. 'We are filled with regret that we weren't able to save the artwork,' the family business wrote in a Facebook post. 'Let this tragedy be a reminder to all that a moccasin is not just a slipper, that a beaded cardholder or keychain is not just a practical accessory; please hold your own pieces of indigenous art close to your heart. Protect them.' The Pisew Fire has grown to 83,000 hectares — more than three times the size of Saskatoon. It breached the La Ronge airport and destroyed the province's air tanker base. 'We are up against a monster. The last 24 hours have been chaotic,' the La Ronge fire department posted on Facebook, thanking private contractors and volunteers. 'We are doing the best we can fighting for our communities.' An evacuation order was issued for La Ronge, Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band on Monday evening. About 400 structures have been destroyed in Saskatchewan wildfires and officials estimate about 15,000 people have been forced to leave their homes It is the driest spring on record for La Ronge. The area has received just 18 millimetres of rain over the past three months — far below the 100 millimetres it typically gets, according to Environment Canada. Saskatchewan's largest wildfire — the Shoe Fire — has burned about 470,000 hectares and is less than 14 kilometres from Candle Lake.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
‘The devastation is real': Sask. MLA recounts escape from La Ronge wildfire zone
Evacuations are in top gear and Cumberland MLA Jordan Mcphaill shares his experience as an evacuee from wildfires in La Ronge.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Cumberland NDP MLA among those evacuated from wildfire
Regina Watch NDP MLA for Cumberland Jordan McPhail shares his experience after being evacuated from wildfires in La Ronge
CBC
10 hours ago
- Climate
- CBC
As thousands run from Sask. wildfires, these people are rushing to fight them
Cliff Buettner was only two days into his retirement when he was called back to help fight Saskatchewan's raging wildfires. "This is far beyond anything that I've experienced in my 40 years," said the former director of forestry and emergency protective services for the Prince Albert Grand Council. "I've been in some pretty dire situations and this is some of the worst I've seen." Residents of La Ronge, Air Ronge, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and everywhere within a 20-kilometre radius had to evacuate by Tuesday afternoon as fire rapidly made its way toward those northern Saskatchewan communities. The Rona at the community's entrance is completely destroyed, Mayor Joe Hardyski told CBC News on Tuesday. So, too, are a dozen houses in the nearby communities of Sucker River and a handful in Eagle Point, he said. La Ronge residents flee homes as wildfires continue to burn communities 11 hours ago Duration 2:05 Residents evacuating from the La Ronge area spent Monday night driving through hazardous conditions. In other parts of the province, fires are now entering communities and damaging structures. Saskatchewan has faced significant losses due to the unpredictability of this wildfire season, Buettner said, adding that the speed and intensity of the fires have not given communities much time to react. A Facebook post from the Northern Village of Denare Beach Tuesday morning, for instance, confirmed that fire had destroyed everything south of Ninth Avenue to the reserve. "Timber transports embers that are being carried out by the convection and moved ahead of the fire, and that's what's perpetuating the fire with this wind," Buettner said. Conditions on the ground, he added, have become "a dangerous game" for emergency personnel. Buettner said on Monday he lost contact with individuals on the ground who were within the fire boundary. They had to shut off their phone to conserve the battery until they made it to a safe place to communicate they were OK. Farther south, the Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management in Prince Albert is offering Type 3 emergency personnel firefighter training — and locals are rushing to join the fight against the fires. Type 3 firefighters are brought in as a relief for higher-level firefighters, while they attend to the more intense areas of a fire and contain it. They are responsible for suppression or clean-up once a fire is contained or laid back down to the ground. They are often brought in once a fire loses its intensity. Brenda Roberts with the Prince Albert Grand Council, who has been helping to coordinate the training, said she's had over 100 applicants so far — one as young as 17. "We've also had calls from people who have heavy equipment experience, Class 1A drivers, heavy duty mechanics — just to say that they're available," she said. The training takes place over a four-day period and focuses on fire behaviour, fire operations, heavy equipment, aircraft, and everything a firefighter would need to know about the fire. It also goes over practical components such as the tactics used for firefighting, direct suppression and hose line hookup. Roberts said while the current fire conditions in the province limit the responsibilities of Type 3 firefighters, they are trying to be proactive. "What we're trying to do within the communities is to organize and identify those as units within the communities so the SPSA has that information if and when they would be allowed to participate in the active fire duty provincially," she said. Over 9,000 people have been forced to evacuate from Saskatchewan's north due to wildfires. Premier Scott Moe said that number could reach 15,000 in the days ahead. Saskatchewan communities now under evacuation order or pre-evacuation alert: Air Ronge. Brabant Lake. Candle Lake resort village (voluntary). Clam Crossing. Creighton. Denare Beach. East Trout Lake. Eagle Point. English Bay. Foran Mine - McIlveena Bay. Hall Lake. Jan Lake. La Ronge. Lac La Ronge Indian Reservation. Lamp Lake. Little Bear Lake. Lower Fishing Lake. Molanosa. Napatak. Narrow Hills Provincial Park. Nemeiben Subdivision. Pelican Narrows. Piprell Lake. Potato Lake. Rabbit Creek. Ramsey Bay. Resort Subdivision of Ramsey Bay. Sikachu. Sturgeon Landing. Sturgeon Weir. Sucker River. Timber Bay. Wadin Bay. Weyakwin. Whiteswan/Whelan Bay. Interactive Sask. active fire map. Fire danger map. Fire bans. Environment and Climate Change Canada weather alerts. Sask. Highway Hotline. Smoke forecast. Air quality. Tracking wildfires across Canada.
CBC
20 hours ago
- Climate
- CBC
La Ronge residents flee homes as wildfires continue to burn communities
Residents evacuating from the La Ronge area spent Monday night driving through hazardous conditions. In other parts of the province, fires are now entering communities and damaging structures.
