Latest news with #NorthernSaskatchewan
CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
'Resources stretched thin,' Premier Scott Moe says, as Saskatchewan wildfires rage on
Premier Scott Moe says Saskatchewan's ability to fight a plague of wildfires across the province is reaching the breaking point. The premier was joined by officials from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency at a news conference in Prince Albert on Saturday to update the current wildfire situation. The province continues to experience one of its worst starts to the wildfire season on record. More than 500,000 hectares have burned in wildfires across the province so far this year. "Resources are stretched thin because of the severity of the situation that we're facing and the intensity and the proximity of the fires," Moe told reporters. "Just can't have another fire." People need to be absolutely careful about accessing areas close to the wildfires, as these are incredibly stressful and challenging times for those in northern Saskatchewan. Sixteen active wildfires in the province have led to at least 17 evacuations, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Evacuees feeling the pressure Sandy Oosterlaken from the village of Denare Beach, where there is an evacuation order, said she had about 30 minutes to leave her home. But as she was told to leave, her husband was trapped on the other side with no access to essentials. "My husband was trapped on the other side of the barricade with no pills, no food, no nothing. They wouldn't let him come to me to evacuate," she said. Oosterlaken managed to get to him, but now the couple are in limbo trying to figure out where they're going to go. They have no idea where to spend the night and for how long. "We're trying to register with Saskatchewan Red Cross; I've tried numerous times," she said. She hasn't been able to register with any of the evacuation organizers so far. "Worse happens, we're sleeping in the car. We'll just keep traveling from town to town to town to town till hopefully we find something," Oosterlaken said, adding that first they're headed to Saskatoon. State of emergency declared in Sturgeon Landing The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has declared a state of emergency for the community of Sturgeon Landing due to wildfires. It's issuing a mandatory evacuation order because of heavy smoke from a wildfire burning in Manitoba and the increasing threat to road access in and out of the area. The First Nation says all community members must evacuate immediately and that evacuees must meet at the Wanless Store, which will serve as the staging area. From there, it says, a convoy will travel to The Pas, Man., with support from emergency personnel to ensure a safe evacuation. If anyone is evacuating by private vehicle, they are urged to follow the convoy and not travel alone. Wildfire smoke is also affecting other communities in the province, with air quality warnings in place for areas including Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Estevan. The province's largest fire, the Shoe fire, has burned 305,000 hectares, which is about 13 times the size of Saskatoon. Smoke from that fire has been threatening communities, including the resort village of Candle Lake. WATCH | Resources stretched thin as wildfires rage, Sask. premier says: Sask. premier says resources are stretched as wildfires rage 6 hours ago Duration 2:11 The community experienced thick smoke over the last few days, but according to the latest update, the fire is "moving more slowly toward Candle Lake." "However, wind and weather conditions can change quickly, and our pre-alert evacuation and voluntary evacuation notices remain in effect," according to the update at 10 a.m. Friday. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said that resources are being deployed to mitigate the fire, including type 1 and type 2 fire crews, helicopters, local fire departments and heavy equipment. Communities evacuated due to the Shoe fire include Lower Fishing Lake, Piprell Lake, East Trout Lake, Little Bear Lake. Whiteswan/Whelan Bay. Prince Albert National Park limits access Parks Canada has issued a closure for areas within Prince Albert National Park due to the wildfires. It's restricting all backcountry areas in the national park, Kingsmere Road west of Narrows Peninsula Trail; Elk Trail and the Valleyview network of trails, excluding the Valleyview easy and moderate trails; all of Crean Lake, including Crean Kitchen campground and day-use area, excluding Hanging Heart Lakes. Visitors are being asked to respect the closures to reduce the risk of igniting new fires. Power remains out in northeastern Sask. communities SaskPower said in an update that wildfire conditions are disrupting repair work for the outage in some northern communities. Crews have been forced to stop work in Deschambault Lake, Denare Beach, Pelican Narrows, Jan Lake, Creighton, and surrounding areas. As of Friday morning, crews had been unable to resume work in those regions safely. In La Ronge, Southend, Brabant Lake, and McLennan Lake, similar challenges are being reported. SaskPower said Friday that crews are en route to continue repairs to address the outage, but no estimated time of restoration is currently available due to the ongoing wildfire threat. Métis Nation–Saskatchewan declares state of emergency On Friday, the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S) also declared a state of emergency, joining the provincial government as more citizens are forced to flee their homes with little or no notice. "These wildfires are spreading so unpredictably, and citizens are being evacuated with little or no notice and no destination in place. They're leaving behind their homes and their livelihoods with little more than uncertainty ahead," MN–S president Glen McCallum said in a statement. The MN–S government said it has mounted response teams to assist in fire zones, is providing culturally grounded services where possible, and is co-ordinating with provincial and federal partners to ensure Métis citizens have access to support. Federal response to wildfires Saskatchewan is under a provincial state of emergency due to wildfires. That means the province can access more resources and call for support from different levels of the government. Eleanor Olszewski, the federal minister of emergency management, said in an interview with CBC News Network on Friday that Manitoba has called for a "request for assistance" from the federal government, but Saskatchewan has not made a similar request yet. She said that the Royal Canadian Air Force is helping those remote communities in Manitoba evacuate to Winnipeg. "I did speak with my counterpart, my provincial counterpart Tim McLeod, this afternoon and he advised me that the situation in Saskatchewan is manageable at the present time," she said. "In the event that federal resources are required, we're absolutely prepared to step up and help," Olszewski said. The premier said the province requests different resources from different locations, depending on the need. "It's about the resource that you actually require.... The federal government traditionally doesn't have water bombing support. If they did, we would be requesting," he said. Moe said the final decision of making a call for a "request for assistance" is in the hands of SPSA president Marlo Pritchard and vice-president of operations Steve Roberts. "It's definitely a part of that contingency planning, but it is one of the last steps," Pritchard told reporters. Creighton Fire The Cub fire north of Creighton is at 25,000 hectares as of Saturday afternoon. Officials said it is very close to the community and there was significant 'action' last night due to southern winds. "The priority is to continue to protect the communities of Creighton and Denare Beach," Pritchard said. He said that numerous fire departments, including volunteer firefighters, have been sent to those communities to help protect them. Up-to-date info on active fires, smoke and related topics is available at these sources:
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Premier Scott Moe says more air supports are coming to Saskatchewan to fight wildfires
Watch WATCH: As wildfires continue to burn across northern Saskatchewan, more help is on the way to support firefighters in battling the blazes.
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
More air supports coming to Saskatchewan to fight wildfires
As wildfires continue to burn across northern Saskatchewan, more help is on the way to support firefighters in battling the blazes. 'We have a 2Q400 aircraft from Alaska, which has been deployed in Saskatchewan with air personnel on board. Two CL-415 aircraft from Quebec have also been deployed for several days,' Premier Scott Moe said during a press conference on Saturday afternoon in Prince Albert. 'Additionally, a Convair 5802 aircraft and a bird dog aircraft, along with an air attack officer, are arriving from British Columbia and will be deployed in Saskatchewan very shortly.' This deployment is part of a larger effort to combat the wildfires, with Saskatchewan receiving support from other provinces and territories. With multiple communities already evacuated, Premier Moe warned that more may face the same fate. Moe urged residents of Saskatchewan to exercise extreme caution over the next four to seven days and avoid actions that could spark new fires, which would further strain already stretched resources. He said a change in weather patterns and a soaking rain are desperately needed to alleviate the situation. The resources currently deployed in northern communities include 220 provincial wildland firefighters, 13 municipal fire departments supporting community defense, 66 contractors with heavy equipment working on the front lines, and over 100 staff coordinating response efforts. Additionally, 12 Saskatchewan aircraft tankers and bird dog airplanes, as well as 410 type two northern community and indigenous firefighters, are helping to fight the fires. Wildfire Premier Moe emphasized the importance of a collective effort and an 'all hands on deck' approach to prevent further fires and protect lives and property. 'I ask the rest of us in this province to reach out to friends and family members who may be affected and offer support if able. It's crucial that we support those whose lives are being disrupted by the weather conditions and the fires,' Moe said. On Thursday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe declared a province-wide state of emergency as a result of the wildfires. The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days and can be extended if need be. Current situation As of Saturday afternoon, there were 16 active fires burning across the province. According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), only five of them are contained while six of them are out of control. According to the SPSA, there have been 211 wildfires in the province so far this year, which is well above the five-year average. Shoe (Lower Fishing Lake) wildfire The Shoe wildfire started almost a month ago, has grown to 305,343 hectares, and remains uncontrolled. According to the SPSA, several communities have been evacuated, including Lower Fishing Lake, Piprell Lake, East Trout Lake, Little Bear Lake, and Whiteswan/Whelan Bay. Firefighters are working to contain the blaze with the support of various resources, including aircraft and heavy equipment. The SPSA says the weather forecast indicates challenging conditions, with high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds that could fuel the fire's growth. Saskatchewan Wildfire Several highways and parks, including Narrow Hills Provincial Park, have been closed due to the fire. Pisew wildfire The Pisew wildfire, located west of La Ronge, has grown to 61,205 hectares since it was reported on May 21, and as of Saturday afternoon, it remains uncontrolled. The fire is threatening several communities, with Besnard Lake and Hall Lake within 20 kilometers of the blaze. The SPSA says the fire has already crossed Highway 165 and caused significant disruptions, including highway closures on Highway 910 and the junction of highways 913 and 165. Hall Lake has also been evacuated due to the fire. Wolf wildfire Located west of Denare Beach, the Wolf wildfire has grown to 29,000 hectares and remains uncontrolled. The communities of Jan Lake and the McIlveena Mine Site are within 20 kilometers of the fire and have been evacuated. According to the SPSA, the fire is threatening the McIlveena Mine Site and impacting Highway 106 west of Maligne Lake. Pelican 2 wildfire The Pelican 2 wildfire is burning northeast of Pelican Narrows, has grown to 9,154 hectares, and remains uncontrolled. The community of Pelican Narrows is at risk, with parts of the community, including P1, P2, and the north side, evacuated. A construction camp has also been impacted. The SPSA says the fire has caused significant damage, including power outages and loss of value. The Warman Fire Department is among the resources supporting the effort. Club wildfire Burning in the north of Creighton, this wildfire has grown to 25,000 hectares on the Saskatchewan side and remains uncontrolled. The communities of Creighton and Denare Beach have been evacuated due to the fire's proximity. The SPSA says the Creighton and Flin Flon fire departments are also responding. The fire is threatening a mine site and a Coop bulk fuel site, and has caused significant disruptions, including the closure of Highway 106 from Junction 135 to Creighton. Ditch 02 wildfire This fire, which is burning in the north of Weyakwin, has grown to 2,500 hectares also remains uncontrolled. The community of Weyakwin has been evacuated due to the fire's proximity. According to the SPSA, the fire is threatening resort subdivisions and impacting Highway 2. Which communities were evacuated? According to the latest on the SPSA website, more than 8,000 people from 11 communities have been evacuated since the wildfire started burning. According to the SPSA, about 2000 people from Pelican Narrows have been evacuated. Other evacuated communities include Hall Lake with 380 people, Canoe Lake with around 500 people, and Weyakwin with 70 people. Additionally, Creighton, Denare Beach, and Jan Lake have been evacuated with around 400 people. Some communities, like East Trout Lake and Sturgeon Weir, have no permanent residents, while others, like Lower Fishing Lake and Foran Mine – McIlvenna Bay, have been evacuated. On Friday afternoon, the Saskatoon Community Foundation (SCF) and United Way Saskatoon said over 1,400 evacuees had arrived in Saskatoon.
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Hot, dry forecast spells trouble for Sask. wildfires
A meteorologist is warning the upcoming weather forecast isn't good news for the wildfire outlook in northern Saskatchewan, with hot, dry and windy conditions in the foreseeable future. "We're not getting any relief, unfortunately," said Justin Shelly, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. "We're expecting very warm conditions to continue." A cold front will develop from Alberta that will move to Saskatchewan on Friday, but it will only create some isolated chances of showers and thunderstorms, said Shelly. "There's not going to be a lot of accumulations in terms of rainfall amounts associated with this," he said. Poor internet connection? CBC Lite is our low-bandwidth website. Shelly said another system from Alberta will be coming Saturday night into Sunday morning, but most of the rainfall will hit isolated spots of northern Saskatchewan, with only about five to 15 millimetres in those areas. Ideal weather conditions to help with the wildfires would include multiple days of persistent rain and cooler temperatures without any significant gusty winds, he said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we're going to see anything like that come up here in the next week or 10 days." 'We're very fortunate': cabin owner With wildfires continuing to rampage, Regina resident Trevor Phenix went north this week to save his cabin. Phenix, who owns a family cabin near Besnard Lake, about 560 kilometres north of Regina, already lost the cabin once in 2015 to wildfires and had to rebuild it. He said he had been watching the fire's progress for days and made the call to head up to the area Sunday morning. "I got a call from my cousin asking if I'd seen the fire map," he said. "I looked at it and it was pretty apparent that the fire was either already at the cabin or was going to be there pretty quickly." Phenix and his two cousins went up to the cabin with a plan to test and set up more sprinklers and fire pumps. Sask. declares wildfire emergency as First Nations vent about Manitoba's response 11 hours ago Duration 5:06 On Tuesday morning, they saw a fire within about 75 metres of the cabin. Phenix said he hustled around to make sure the sprinklers were working, and by the time he got to the top of the cabin, the fire had reached the base of the cabin. "I basically walked up to it already burning and it had started to burn kind of under the cabin," Phenix said. "I grabbed one of the the hoses attached to the sprinkler, move the sprinkler head and went in there and basically doused that as quickly as I could." Phenix was able to save the cabin after dousing the area with water. "We're very fortunate, very lucky." Wildfire damaging infrastructure SaskTel said in a news release Wednesday a wildfire near McLennan Lake, northeast of La Ronge, had damaged fibre infrastructure, causing major network congestion in northern Saskatchewan. Internet, wireless and landline phone services have been disrupted in several communities, including Southend, Wollaston Lake, Stony Rapids and Fond du Lac, the Crown telecomms corporation said. Crews are currently unable to access the area and begin repairs due to the fire threat, SaskTel said. "Customers in the impacted areas may experience slower than usual data services, dropped phone calls, and discontinued data sessions," it said.
CBC
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire evacuees begin to pour into communities
Thousands of people have evacuated their homes due to aggressive wildfires in northern Saskatchewan. Evacuees face long, stressful journeys and uncertain futures as they wait for updates on homes and loved ones they left behind.
