Arjun Pillai
Daily Herald
Saskatchewan has already recorded 259 wildfires this year, a figure well above the seasonal average of 147, with fire officials warning that the province’s fire season is far from over.
During a provincial press conference held over Zoom on Tuesday, SPSA President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard confirmed that roughly 80 percent of these fires were human-caused. Of those, about 30 have been deemed intentional, with two arson charges already laid by the RCMP. Pritchard urged the public to help Identify anyone responsible for starting fires.
“We are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying those individuals, “Pritchard said, encouraging residents to contact Crime Stoppers or local police if they have information.
In addition to prevention, Pritchard addressed financial assistance. He said the province will provide a one-time payment of $500 to all evacuated Saskatchewan residents over the age of 18. The funds will be distrubuted directly or via community leaders, with efforts underway to ensure retroactive eligibility for anyone impacted by evacuation orders.
“We’re doing everything as quickly as possible so that everyone receives the financial support as fast as they can.” he said.
Fire Activity overview and status updates
Bryan Chartrand, Executive Director of Land Operations with the SPSA, followed witha detailed map-based briefing on fire activity. He confirmed that although recent rainfall helped slow the spread of certain fires, many remain active, particularly in northern and eastern Saskatchewan.
The Shoe Fire, one of the largest burning ones, spans 550,000 hectares and is still not contained.
“There’s been no significant growth since the rain over the weekend,” Chartrand said, “Areas like East Trout Lake and Little Bear Lake, which were previously under threat, have now stabilized, allowing crews to begin demobilizing values protection systems. While that’s a positive step, there’s still a lot of mop-up work ahead.”
Other fires mentioned include:
Pelican Narrows Fire (40,000 hectares): No longer poses a threat to the community. Crews concentrated efforts along the southern and western flanks, using direct attack methods supported by earlier values protection. Access routes remain open, and hot spots near the community have been extinguished.
Ditch fire (174,000 hectares): Once fairly active, this fire has stabilized following recent rainfall. No new growth has been reported, though crews remain in the area addressing hot spots near Ramsey Bay and Malanosa, and continuing containment work along established dozer lines.
Pisew Fire (181,000 hectares): Located west of La Ronge, this fire has shown no recent growth and remains stable. Crews have completed dozer lines and values protection, including around Potato Lake and Hall Lake, and are patrolling the area for hotspots. Despite the fire’s size, SPSA reports no concerns at this time.
Wolf Fire (130,000 hectares): Though now merged with nearby fires like Pelican and Club, the area continues to be tracked under the Wolf Fire Name. The fire has shown no recent growth, and crews are patrolling and mopping up remaining hot spots. Satellite imagery shows no significant new activity, and values protection has been demobilized and stabilized zones.
Chartrand demonstrated the importance of satellite imagery during his fire map presentation, using color-coded heat data to show where fires had stabilized or remained active.
“We may continue to get smoke throughout the summer,” Chartrand said. “Our teams will be watching closely to verify each report so nothing gets missed.”
Return efforts underway for evacuees
As fires begin to stabilize, Pritchard confirmed that several communities have started the process of reptriating residents. Evacuees from Birch Portage returned home on June 9, while others, including Little Bear Lake, Moose Horn, and Timber Bay, are expected to return by June 11 and 12. More community are being assessed daily for safe return.
However, officials stressed that community leaders will have the final say on repatriation timelines.
“We continue to assess risk and work with community leaders to support those that are being repatriated safely.” said Pritchard.
The press conference concluded with a media Q & A session, during which the SPSA officials responded to concerns about delays in communication and support for evacuees. Pritchard acknowledged the shortcomings, particularly in reaching people who had self-evacuated and were not in immediate danger.
“We were not able to contact them in a timely manner,” he said. “That’s where we need to improve.”
He added that SPSA has since increased its staffing and outreach efforts.
“We’ve pivoted, and we’ve got more resources on. We’re going to be working long hours with lots of resources to make sure that we contact each and every one of them.”
Pritchard also said the organization would conduct a full after-action review to identify gaps and improve future readiness.
The Saskatchewan NDP has also weighed in, calling on the provincial government to provide direct financial relief to northern businesses and tourism operators impacted by the ongoing wildfire evacuations.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, whether you’re in South or in the North,” said Aleana Young, Saskatchewan’s Shadow Minister for Jobs and Economy. “We’ve heard from business owners who are already losing thousands of dollars in inventory, lost revenue, and more.”
The NDP is urging the Saskatchewan Party government to implement emergency grants, delay tax collection for affected businesses, and expedite SGI coverage and claims processing for damaged commercial property. The call comes as many seasonal operators, including outfitters and tourism vendors, face the prospect of missing the bulk of their annual income during the summer months.
“This is also the major part of our tourism season,” said Mathew Maurer, president of the La Ronge & District Chamber of Commerce. “So many of those outfitters have lost all their business because people can’t get to them on the roads.”
The party is also requesting zero-interest loans and targeted business relief programs for those forced to shut down or evacuate.
