UPDATE – La Ronge Fire Situation (June 30/2015 PM)
-No fire threat to Town of La Ronge at this time. Fire conditions are extreme in the region but no major changes today.
-A Health Advisory (SMOKE) is in place for the La Ronge region.
-English Bay, Sucker River, Lamp Lake and Wadin Bay remain evacuated.
-Highway restrictions by convoy are in place for Highway 102. Highway 2 South, Highway 165 East and Highway 969 are all open.
-The Egg Fire (which joined the Clarke Fire) is still 12km away from La Ronge. The smoke continues to hamper fire growth and is approximately 58,029 hectares.
-A cut line is being put in around the communities to provide opportunities for back burning if he need arises.
-A poster for Fire Fit Testing is included for tomorrow, July 1/2015.
La Ronge Mayor Thomas Sierzycki
UPDATE – (Tuesday, June 30, 5:00 pm)
Areas have not been accessible via aircraft due to smoke. Clark and Egg fire have joined and is now called the “Egg Fire”. Fire is staying still. Egg Fire is 58,029 hectares. The fires in our area have not shown significant growth.
Chief Tammy Cook- Searson Lac La Ronge Indian Band
UPDATE – (Tuesday, June 30, 4:31 pm)
Highway 2 is now open to north and south bound traffic.
Chief Tammy Cook- Searson Lac La Ronge Indian Band
UPDATE – (Tuesday, June 30, 4:01 pm)
Saskatchewan Highways has advised Highway #969 (Molanosa Road) is open now both north and south.
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson
UPDATE – (3:59 pm, Tuesday, June 30) – General evacuation ordered at East Trout Lake
There has been a GENERAL EVACUATION NOTICE issued for the Resort Subdivision of East Trout Lake. Northern Municipal Services says there is a SERIOUS FIRE RISK to the community. Wildfire Management has advised that wildfires have moved close to the subdivision and that the oncoming wildfires are an “extreme safety threat” to East Trout Lake.
UPDATE – June 30, 2015. 4:01p.m. Highway Update
Ministry of Highways has advised Highway 969 (Molanosa Road) is open now both north and south.
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson
The deputy commissioner of emergency planning for the province, Colin King, describes the forest fire situation as critical, saying: “We are facing significant threats”. Those threats include keeping the flames from destroying several communities.
The provincial fire centre manager, Scott Wasylenchuk, says there are 108 fires burning in the province right now. In addition to the flames, Wasylenchuk says there is a big problem with smoke. He says this has been one of the most difficult years in recent memory.
“What this fire season has produced for us is it is probably the most complicated fire season I have seen,” he says. “Because we have so many fires of fairly large size scattered right across and a lot of them are near communities.”
Another major challenge is housing the evacuees. They are expected to total about 4,500 by the end of today. They are being housed in shelters in Prince Albert, Saskatoon and now Regina.
Cindy Fuchs with the Red Cross says these people could be out of their homes for awhile.
“That’s right,” she says. “We are planning on two weeks in terms of volunteers. We are bringing Red Cross personnel from across the country. That’s the advantage of this organization. They are all trained and screened in the same way so we can pull people from New Brunswick right through to BC.”
Fire crews are concentrating their efforts on people and property, but there are reports of some losses. Officials will not have any totals until they can do a ground assessment and inform property owners.
This is one of the worst years on record for fires. So far this year there have been more than 520 fires, more than twice last year’s level at the same time.