Parks Canada said that weather conditions and the work in tandem with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency are helping keep the Buhl Fire at a safe distance from the Waskesiu townsite.
On July 13, a wildfire and pre-evacuation alert was issued for Prince Albert National Park.
Gregg Walker the Incident Commander for Parks Canada updated the media on Saturday about the fire.
“So we’re establishing some containment of the fire at at specific fire lines. And so we’re having some success with the equipment and the machinery and the people on the fire. And as well, the winds have been somewhat calmer than they were several days ago, when the fire spread so much more significantly,” Walker said.
According to Walker’s update the fire is currently 31 kilometres from the Waskesiu townsite, nine kilometres from Ramsey Bay, 12 kilometres from Montreal Lake Cree Nation and 30 kilometres from Elk Ridge and McPhee Lake.
“That fire is at nearly 46,000 hectares today as it’s mapped, there are 109 personnel, 9 helicopters and 11 pieces of heavy equipment working on the fire, both within the National Park and the surrounding provincial lands,” he explained.
“The fire has grown as you can, as you might notice from the area numbers, but it’s not progressed in any way substantially towards the communities at risk,” Walker said.
There is still an evacuation alert for high priority individuals at Montreal Lake and the pre-evacuation alert from July 13 remains in place in Waskesiu and the Prince Albert National Park.
“Ramsey Bay, Elk Ridge and McPhee Lake do not currently have any evacuation alerts or orders in effect,” Walker said.
Walker said that the unified command with the SPSA is going well with the Buhl Fire.
“There are systems in place for Emergency Management organisations like welfare agencies to integrate on incidents like a wildfire. And so we’re just using those systems. And I would say at this time we’re fully coordinated and fully integrated,” Walker said,
The Buhl Fire was caused by a lightning strike on June 29.
