Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
Northern Advocate
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) continues to work on the Flanagan and Late fires as of Thursday, Aug. 15, according to a SPSA news release dated Friday, Aug. 16.
Duane Hiebert, Emergency Management director for Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), said the PBCN continues into its third day of evacuating the community of Sandy Bay.
The wind, which had been moving the fire away from the community of Sandy Bay, was expected to change on Thursday, Aug. 15, which it did, Hiebert said, but he had not received a report as to what the latest situation was.
Hubert said the “hottest time for fire burning is later afternoon,” and he had not received an update to know what the current results were.
He said 220 people were moved out of the community on buses on Thursday and other people left in their own vehicles. Hiebert said, he had not received an update from the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) with a current update on the total number of evacuees.
PBCN continues to support evacuations from Deschambault Lake and Pelican Narrows with people, he referred to as “chronic care” “people needing respite due to the smoke,” Hiebert said.
But the main challenge remains transporting everybody out of the community of Sandy Bay, which has a population around 1,800.
As of Thursday, all the available hotel spaces in Prince Albert had been utilized by people from Deschambault Lake, Pelican Narrows and some from Sandy Bay. The largest number of evacuees from Sandy Bay are being sent to Saskatoon, he said. There are also some people who have found shelter with family for friends, Hiebert said.
He said he believed they would need to send more people out by bus on Friday, Aug. 16, but didn’t have an update to know for sure or how many people or buses would be involved.
According to a community report from Sandy Bay, evacuees must register with CRC at the Best Western Marquis in Prince Albert between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. They receive a QR code, which they are asked to bring with them. Any evacuees staying with family or friends must also register with Red Cross to receive support, according to the community notice.
If evacuees need copies of prescriptions they can call the Sandy Bay clinic at 306-754-5400.
There is also a fresh air centre set up “with a multi-purpose room at Eagleheart Memorial Hall for community members to use if needed.
Individuals who are experiencing respiratory illness symptoms are also encouraged to contact the Healthline at 811 or the Sandy Bay Clinic between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., closed 12 to 1 for lunch.
The Flanagan Fire was less than 10 km from the community of Sandy Bay and is a risk both to the community and SaskPower’s Island Falls Hydroelectric Power Station as of Thursday, Aug. 15.
The fire began to be a risk to the community of Sandy Bay Aug. 4 and SPSA assigned a Type 1 Incident Management Team to assist in managing the Flanagan Fire as well as the Arm Fire. The team is based in the community of Sandy Bay to “help protect values within the community.”
They have Type 2 crews, helicopters, air tanker support heavy equipment and fire suppression equipment involve in fighting the fire, according to the news release.
“We will continue to work with our partners and community leaders to keep our residents safe and our communities strong and vibrant,” Paul Merriman, Corrections Policing and Public Safety minister, is reported as saying in the news release.
SPSA contacted Delta Irrigation to “set up high volume sprinkler united as part of the values protection system through the community of Sandy Bay,” reads the SPSA news release.
The Late Fire is approximately five kilometres from the community of Turnor Lake.
“The SPSA is working in partnership with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) in supporting the communities and their residents in the area,” reads the news release.
The Late Fire started July 10 and, as of Aug. 15, had not been contained. The SPSA has been “actively engaged in monitoring and suppressing the fire, as well as creating fire guards around the community of Turnor Lake to protect values such as cabins,” quoted from the news release.
Along with staff, SPSA has helicopters, air tanker support and fire suppression equipment focused on Late Fire.
