As of Friday morning, Saskatchewan officials report 79 active wildfires, with improved conditions following several days of northern rainfall. According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), five fires are contained, 12 remain uncontained, 40 are ongoing assessments, and 22 are listed as protecting values.
Evacuations and supports
Four communities remain under evacuation orders: La Plonge Reserve, the Northern Hamlet of Jans Bay, Patuanak/English River First Nation, and priority individuals from the Northern Village of Beauval. SPSA estimates about 1,100 people are still displaced across the province.
Residents returning home have been advised to register through the Sask Evac Web Application and call 1-855-559-5502 for assistance. Those supported by the Canadian Red Cross can call 1-800-863-6582 for services.
In Thursday’s online press briefing, SPSA President Marlo Pritchard confirmed that several earlier evacuation orders had already been lifted in Lac La Plonge, Little Amoit Lake, Island Cross, Canoe Lake, and Canoe Narrows. He said roughly 500 people have accessed the resiliency center at Dore Lake, where agencies including SGI, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the Red Cross are helping residents with recovery and debris removal.
Firefighting progress
SPSA Vice-President of Operations Steve Roberts said recent precipitation, between five and 20 millimeters in parts of the north, has allowed crews to contain the province’s largest wildfires, including the Ditch, Shoe, and Wolf fires. With those fires secured. Saskatchewan has begun releasing outside resources such as Quebec water bombers and heavy helicopters.
The province will, however, retain 300 Canadian Armed Forces firefighters for another two weeks, while Australian crews have returned home after more than a month on deployment. Crews from Ontario, Quebec, Yukon, Mexico, and North Dakota remain on the ground.
Roberts noted that while conditions have eased, the season has been among the worst in recent history, with 38 communities evacuated at some point this year and significant structure losses around Dore Lake and East Trout Lake.
Friday’s update also highlighted the network of wildfire aid agreements that Saskatchewan relies on during peak fire seasons. Through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and multiple international compacts, including partnerships with U.S. states, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, and others, Saskatchewan has access to outside firefighters and equipment when needed.
Roberts said the cooler, wetter conditions and shorter days should help crews move more fires toward containment as the season progresses. However, he cautioned that the majority of fires this year were human-caused, urging residents to remain vigilant despite the recent lifting of the provincial fire ban.
