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We are taking action on them because of their proximity to communities, Roberts said.
On Sunday, Chief Karen Bird of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation told residents of Southend, a small community in northeastern Saskatchewan, to prepare to leave their homes due to a fire threat close to the community. Everybody has to travel together as the roads are closed due to a fire, she said in a Facebook video. We have to be assisted by a helicopter in a convoy out of the community when the buses get here.
The provincial fire ban is remaining in place at this time because of continued hot, dry weather in most of the province, as well as storms carrying lightning which poses an additional fire risk.
By News Room
The wildfire situation in Saskatchewan continues to grow.
That according to Vice-President of Operations for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, Steve Roberts, who says as of Monday morning there were 91 active fires in the province, and 312 fires already this year. “Based on this fire behaviour and the fire loading, the provincial fire ban will remain in place and will be reviewed shortly.” Roberts says the only precipitation seen recently is in the far north of the province, which has brought some reprieve to northern fires, but the lower two thirds of the province continues to see hot, dry weather with very little precipitation.
SASKATOON The 5,733-hectare Lock fire burning in northwest Saskatchewan west of Dillion has forced the evacuation of more than two dozen people from the Village of St. George’s Hill and Michel Village, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). Thirty-one people were evacuated to North Battleford and some community members are in Lloydminster, Steve Roberts, vice-president of operations, said in a teleconference on Monday. More than 91 fires are active in Saskatchewan as of Monday morning, he said. Roberts said that puts the total number of wildfires for the season so far at 312, more than 100 above the five-year average.
Number of northern Sask. wildfires increases over weekend
Provincial officials say the threat of wildfires in northern Saskatchewan increased over the weekend.
The province is now battling uncontained fires near Grandmother’s Bay and along Highway 102 from La Ronge to Wollaston Lake.
This added to the fires already burning near Dillon, Michel Village, St. George’s Hill, Stony Rapids and Stanley Mission.
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency vice-president of operations Steve Roberts said recent dry weather throughout much of the north has increased the fire risk.
“Very little precipitation but it is delivering us lightning which is causing these new fire starts,” he said. “So, the fire ban will remain in place. We will look if there are opportunities to modify it but that would only be in the far northern part of the province.”