Photo credit: BC wildfire Service

(updated Tuesday 5 a.m.)

There are 72 wildfires burning in the province with 12 of those not contained. There have been 562 wildfires so far this year compared to the five-year average of 356.

Of the fires of note the Flanagan fire near Sandy Bay, at almost 45,000 hectares, has not grown in size in the latest situation awareness report from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. The latest update indicates that a burnout was completed between the south and north division to prevent the fire from island hopping.

The Kraus fire east of Missinipe and Grandmother’s Bay has led to the evacuation of most of the staff at the Seabee mine which is nearby. Crews will work on defensive plans for the Seabee mine.

And the Merkley fire south of Southend has led to the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation evacuating Southend. The wildfire is just over 35,000 hectares in size and Wildcat and Fire and Flood crews continue to work on setting up sprinklers in both communities of Southend and Brabant. An Emergency Response Team is being staged at Ministry of Highways Camp which is one of the values located near the fire.