More than 3,000 people have been evacuated and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has asked their partners for more crews and more equipment as wildfires continue to spread across northern Saskatchewan.
There are currently 21 active wildfires, SPSA Vice-President of Operations Steve Roberts said in a press conference on Tuesday. Saskatchewan has had 205 wildfires to date. That’s well above the five-year average of 124.
“(It’s) a very busy and aggressive spring wildfire season facing the province,” Roberts told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “We are currently under a weather system that is not favourable to wildfire suppression activities. What we’re experiencing is high daytime temperatures and warm night time temperatures, allowing fire activity to continue throughout the day and often into the evening. Humidity is low and our winds have actually been fairly strong, which are seeing these fires move significant distances overnight and throughout the day.”
The biggest concern is the Shoe Fire burning northeast of Candle Lake. Roberts said the Shoe Fire has merged with the Camp Fire to create a 216,000 hectare fire that is not contained as of press time. That’s the largest blaze in the province.
The fire grew so large that it forced the SPSA to evacuate 280 people from a fire response compound. The fire has consumed two cabins, 23 camper units, and four pieces of SPSA infrastructure: a kitchen, a bunk house, an equipment shack, and a truck.
“We do indeed already have some crews that are back in there trying to clean up the site as best they can to secure it so that we can reengage in some of those assets—move those assets—or else actually put people back in there to keep working on these fires,” Robert said.
Roberts said almost all of the fires the SPSA is fighting were started by human activity. On Tuesday, the SPSA expanded their fire ban to all of northern Saskatchewan, and Roberts urged residents to take every precaution to ensure the number of fires doesn’t increase.
“At this time in Saskatchewan, it is taking almost no effort to start a fire,” Roberts said. “They are extremely aggressive growing extremely fast, so even a small incident can quickly evolve in a short period of time to a major incident causing threats to people and other acts within the province here.”
Multiple communities and regions are under evacuation orders. The largest is Pelican Narrows, where roughly 1,700 people have evacuated.
The community is under threat from the Pelican 2 Fire, an 850 hectare fire burning northeast of the community. The fire has already consumed four pieces of SaskPower heavy equipment.
Other fires of note include the Pisew Fire burning west of La Ronge at the base of the Besnard Lake road access. The fire is listed at 51,000 hectares. Roberts said one structure has been lost, while three assumed to be lost, but that has not been confirmed.
The Wolf Fire near the Manitoba border is also causing problems. Roberts said the 6,400 hectare fire forced the Foran Mining Company to evacuate 600 individuals.
Other evacuations include Weyland Bay (12 individuals), Brabant Lake (27 individuals), Hall Lake (380), Little Bear Lake (2), Narrow Hills Provincial Park (3), and Piprel Lake (4). The campground in the East Trout Lake Subdivision has also been evacuated.
Wildfires have also forced the Ministry of Highways to close Hwy 135, 910, 106, 120, 913, and 912 as of press time.
“We have a very active, busy fire season that has triggered the response that we will continue and expand the provincial fire ban all the way to the northern border of Saskatchewan to prevent any further human caused fires.”
Roberts said the province has benefited from national and international support. The State of Alaska has sent an air taker to assist with the wildfires, while the province of Quebec has loaned two water bombing aircraft.
Roberts said the province has made further request through interagency partners for more crews, equipment, and aircraft. He said the province’s fire crews are working hard, but are tired.
“Many of them are on their third shift on the fire line,” Roberts said. “That’s why we’re rotating them to get them their days of rest. Unfortunately for many of these folks, in this condition, we lose as often as we win on any given day. Successes today are erased tomorrow, but that’s a function of the fire behavior and the weather we’re in right now.
“In addition to that, we know we will here and will continue to hear that they haven’t done enough or they haven’t provided enough. (That’s) one of the issues that they have to deal with, the fact that they are out there, they’re doing this work, they’re working 16 hour days, and yet they’ll come home to hear that they’re not doing enough, that they’re just standing around in the fires not working. Something to consider … is these folks are putting in 110 per cent without a doubt.”
Roberts has been running the SPSA wildfire operations for more than 20 years. He said this is the “busiest, most active landscape fire level” he’s seen this early in the season. While July or August might be busier, this level of activity is unusual for May, he said.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
