Forest Fire Evacuees Could Be Waiting Several Days

Forest Fire Evacuees Could Be Waiting Several Days

Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 15:14

 

 

Evacuees from the province’s far north are slowly settling in at SIAST’ Woodland Campus in Prince Albert.

 

Hundreds of residents were flown there late yesterday after thick smoke from the Passfield fire blew into the community.

 

The evacuees are comprised of babies, elders and those people with respiratory and cardiac conditions.

 

Some of the evacuees are voicing their frustration over the government’s so-called “let it burn” policy.

 

Gilbert Mercredi says the fire was burning near the community for the last week or so.

 

He says it frustrates him wildfires can’t be targeted sooner so evacuations like this don’t have to take place.

 

Mercredi adds he was told the evacuees might be away from home for three days, but he thinks it will be longer than that.

 

Roughly a dozen volunteers have been brought in to assist the evacuees at SIAST.

 

Dave Hobden of the Emergency Social Services Team says they know evacuees aren’t being allowed to take a lot of belongings on the plane and they will try to answer their needs.

 

He adds they will try to supply diapers and other baby needs as much as possible.

 

Christina Kathlic is a coordinator with the Black Lake First Nation.

 

Kathlic says “it looks like a bomb went off” in the reserve with all the heavy smoke from across the lake.

 

She says more people could be evacuated depending on the situation.

 

Meanwhile, Stony Rapids Mayor Sandra Hansen is warning residents not to try driving south on the Athabasca Seasonal Road.

 

She says people will be putting themselves at risk if they attempt to do so.

 

Saskatchewan Highways has also closed that road until further notice.

 

Officials with Saskatchewan Environment say the Passfield fire is over 100,000 hectares in size.

 

Crews are doing a back burn of existing woods to try and limit the fire activity as much as possible.

 

A direct attack is also being performed on the northern flank of the blaze.

 

Waterbombers have been called in from Stony Rapids to lend support to the ground crews.

 

Saskatchewan Environment spokeswoman Jeanette Krayetski reports the fire is between 20 and 25 km south of Stony Rapids and Black Lake.

 

Krayetski says unlike southern Saskatchewan, the province’s far north is quite dry right now — meaning wildfires can burn quickly.