The Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, and Montreal Lake Cree Nation have declared a joint State of Emergency.
Leaders from all three First Nations issued a call for more firefighting personnel and air support following the evacuation or Pelican Narrows, Sandy Bay, and other northern communities.
More than 5,500 PBCN members have been evacuated, chief Peter Beatty said in a press release, and the situation is changing by the hour.
“We’re seeing the toll this is taking—on our families, on our health, and on our homelands,” Beatty said. “This join declaration reflects our urgency and our unity. We are asking for timely and coordinated action so that our Nations can continue to protect our people with the full backing and partnership of government.”
The three northern leaders said there is a “critical shortage” in firefighting resources. As part of the State of Emergency, all three leaders called for the deployment of more firefighters, the immediate dispatch of water bombers and air support to northern Saskatchewan, emergency accommodations for evacuees and incoming response crews, and direct meetings with Premier Scott Moe, federal ministers, and MPs.
Lac La Ronge Indian band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said the wildfires threatening Hall Lake and surrounding areas has grown to more than 75,000 hectares in size. She said it continues to spread due to dry conditions and changing winds.
“We’ve done everything we can locally—evacuations, back burns, safety planning—but the situation is beyond what we can handle alone,” Cook-Searson said in a press release. “This joint declaration is about making sure our communities get the support they urgently need.”
The northern leaders say evacuation routes have been cut off, including the Hanson Lake Road and Hwy 2. That’s left some communities boxed in by fire and smoke, forcing emergency teams to evacuate people by boat or helicopter in isolated areas like Morning Lake and Brabant Lake.
“These wildfires are pushing our communities to the edge, and the situation is growing more serious by the hour,” Montreal Lake Cree Nation Chief Joyce McLeod-Naytowhow said in a press release. “We’re seeing the toll this is taking—on our families, on our health, and on our homelands. This joint declaration reflects our urgency and our unity. We are asking for timely and coordinated action so that our Nations can continue to protect our people with the full backing and partnership of government.”
All three First Nations are coordinating with the SPSA, Indigenous Services Canada, Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management, and the Canadian Red Cross, among other agencies, according to the press release.
Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said they are working together to response as quickly as possible, but there is still an urgent need for more support.
“We are urgently calling on Premier Scott Moe and Prime Minister Mark Carneyto deploy more firefighting personnel, increase air support—including water bombers—and ensure emergency accommodations for evacuees,” Hardlotte said in a press release. “This is the time for real partnership and immediate action.”
