One of the two major fires that started burning out of control last week in central Saskatchewan is nearing containment while the second continues to spread, according to the province’s public safety agency.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) says the Lobstick Fire, which was first reported last Tuesday in an area southwest of Prince Albert, Sask., is now 80 per cent contained, with the total affected area just under 19,000 hectares.
In a social media post Tuesday morning, the agency said the evacuation order for the Rural Municipality of Shellbrook, initially issued on Friday evening, was lifted as of Monday evening. Meanwhile, the evacuation alert for the Rural Municipality of Duck Lake and Lily Plain was lifted today, the agency said.
Dozer lines are helping contain the blaze, with most constructed on the east flank of the North Saskatchewan River, along its south side. The public safety agency says construction of dozer lines is continuing on the river’s north side.
However, the Cayford Fire, which was also first reported last Tuesday, continues to scorch out of control in the area northwest of Hudson Bay, Sask., located south of Red Earth Cree Nation. It is currently around 13,000 hectares in size.
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The fire started in an area burned by a wildfire five years ago, meaning most of the available fuel has already been used up and spread should be limited, said Bryan Chartrand, SPSA land operations executive director.
“We’re not predicting the fire to impact any other communities other than perhaps smoke,” Chartrand told media at a briefing on Monday.
Residents from nearby Red Earth Cree Nation and Shoal Lake Cree Nation remain under evacuation orders, with many scattering to hotels in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.
Residents say they are relieved to be out of harm’s way but hope the fire does not burn homes in their communities.
“I’m worried about our houses not getting burned out in our reserve. And hopefully the fire doesn’t reach our homelands,” said Kevin Head, a resident of Red Earth Cree Nation.
Others are eagerly awaiting the go-ahead to return to their communities.
“We just got to wait for the chief or headman to say when we’re going home,” said Shoal Lake Cree Nation resident Sherwin Whitecap. “I don’t know when.”
The Canadian Red Cross is assisting evacuation efforts at the request of the local communities, and so far, over 1,300 have been evacuated, said Luc Mullinder, Saskatchewan vice-president of the Canadian Red Cross.
“Congregate shelters are the worst-case scenario in this instance, and something that the province, the community, and the Red Cross wants to avoid,” said Mullinder, adding that finding hotel spaces in Saskatchewan is difficult due to events and conferences, which is why locations are chosen across the province.
Saskatoon’s mayor, Cynthia Block, said at an unrelated announcement Tuesday that the city is well-equipped to handle evacuees and is seeing far fewer than this time last year.
“It’s early in the season, and it’s always going to be my hope that we don’t see the kind of wildfires we’ve seen in recent times, but there’s concern about that for sure,” said Block.
The SPSA says crews are focusing their efforts on battling flames on the north end of the fire, working both east and west. The agency adds that it will be assessing values in the area on Tuesday that will need to be protected as well.
In addition, the agency says four Type 1 crew members, five Type 2 crew members, two overhead and one water tender will join the existing crews to help battle the flames.
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