- The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency has issued a provincial fire ban for Crown lands, provincial parks and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, effective immediately. The ban includes any open fires, controlled burns and fireworks. The SPSA notes that many municipalities already have fire bans in place. President and Fire Commissioner with the SPSA, Marlo Pritchard says, “While many people are looking forward to the long weekend, the decision to implement a fire ban is necessary in order to protect lives, communities, major infrastructure and resources from wildfire.”
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency also advises everyone to avoid the Besnard Lake area because there is a fast-moving fire there, and with a single access route in and out, there is an increased threat of entrapment. The fire has been named the Wistigo Fire.
The number of active fires have decreased from 30 this morning to 28, with five fires not contained. There have been 163 fires to date, which more than doubles the five-year average of 81.
Two wildfires west of Buffalo Narrows are uncontained and described by the Saskatoon Public Safety Agency as burning aggressively. The communities of Dillon, Saint George’s Hill and Michel Village have been evacuated, As well, according to Facebook posts, Buffalo Narrows and La Loche are also under evacuation orders.
There is an air quality alert for much of northern Saskatchewan from the wildfires in this province as well as in Alberta. Smoke from wildfires is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility from the Alberta border to the Manitoba border. The alert has expanded and extends south through to and including Prince Albert, The Battlefords and Meadow Lake.
SaskPower reports that 2,500 people are without power in Buffalo Narrows, Ile a la Crosse, Dillon and as far north as La Loche. Spokesperson for the Crown Corporation, Scott McGregor says about 2 kilometres of transmission line that feeds several communities in the area was burned. A post on SaskPower’s website from Monday night says power will remain off at least until the end of the day today (Tues). Crews are on site to assess the damage and start the repairs, provided conditions are safe. McGregor adds that for anyone in the area who comes across a downed power line or damaged power poles that look like they are about to break, stay back at least ten metres and give SaskPower a call or call 911 and a crew will be sent in as soon as possible to make the area safe.
Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Minister, Bill Blair, who was accompanying the Prime Minister in Alberta to meet with troops helping to fight wildfires, calls the current level of wildfire in that province almost without precedent. The town of Valleyview, about 300 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, was issued an evacuation order yesterday. About 17,400 Albertans have been evacuated to date. There are 87 wildfires in that province and 24 are out of control.
