When the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said rain and cooler weather helped out with wildfires recently, it was significant.

Environment Canada released some rainfall totals Friday after a large low-pressure system brought much needed rain to northern Saskatchewan. It started Wednesday and ended Friday morning. Southend received 61.9 millimetres of rain, La Ronge saw 47 mm, there was 45.3 mm of rain in Island Falls, 29.5 in Collins Bay and Waskesiu Lake saw 22.4 mm.

The SPSA in its update Thursday reported that the wet weather allowed fire crews to get a handle on the Wolf, Shoe and Ditch fires which are all now listed as contained and which were once considered the three most destructive wildfires in the province.

As of 12:30 p.m. on Friday there are 79 active wildfires in the province and a dozen are not contained. There have been 466 wildfires so far this year which is in league with the 480 at the same time last year but well above the five-year average of 375.