Arjun Pillai
Daily Herald
A total of 53 individuals, including hospital patients and care home residents, have been safely evacuated from the La Ronge Health Centre and surrounding facilities due to escalating wildfire threats in the area.
Speaking at a virtual press conference on Tuesday, SHA Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller confirmed the evacuation took place between Monday and early Tuesday morning, following a shift from air transport to ground-based evacuation due to poor visibility and smoke.
“As the fire conditions worsened, we transitioned to a land evacuation. By 2 a.m., all the ambulances were on route from Elk Ridge,” Miller said. “We were able to match patient needs with receiving sites and complete the evacuation while maintaining continuity of care.”
The La Ronge Health Centre, including its emergency department, is now closed. Emergency medical services will operate from the EMS base in La Ronge, currently staffed by five physicians and a limited nursing team.
“They’re staying in the community to sustain a basic emergency service,” Miller explained.
The 53 evacuees included 21 hospital patients, 15 individuals from long-term care, and the remainder from care homes and a local community group. They were transferred to 19 different facilities across Saskatchewan, including Prince Albert, Shellbrook, Duck Lake, Cut Knife, Unity, and more.
Miller emphasized that the patients’ safety, both during transport and upon arrival at their new accommodations, was the SHA’s top priority.
“It was a stressful time, but we’re reassessing and understanding that they are settling in well, ” he said, noting the emotional toll the move may also have on families.
Concerns were also raised about the strain this might place on other health facilities. Miller acknowledged the added demand but said he’s confident in the SHA’s existing capacity and coordination.
“We maintained respite beds, matched patients to the right facilities, and we’re thankful to all teams who made this work.”
The SHA expressed deep appreciation to its partners, including the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the Canadian Red Cross, local EMS teams, Indigenous leadership, and organizations like STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service) and Elk Ridge Resort, which served as a transportation hub during the operation.
Although the hospital itself was not directly threatened by the wildfire at the time of closure, the decision was made out of caution.
“We closed the hospital due to the overall threat in the Laurent area, not because it was imminently exposed to fire.” Miller clarified.
SHA said it remains committed to supporting the affected individuals and is closely monitoring the situation in La Ronge. Mental health and addiction teams have also been mobilized to support evacuees in their new locations, including Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Lloydminster, Regina, and Weyburn.
