Junction of Highway 106 and 135 Sunday. Photo courtesy of Saskatchewan Department of Highways.
Windy and hot conditions over the weekend have kept fire crews very busy in northern Saskatchewan.
Given the scale of the fires burning in the northeast, along with the exceedingly dry conditions, wildfire management officials say they may need help from Mother Nature to put these fires out.
The largest fire is now more than 900 square kilometres in size and is burning southeast of Pelican Narrows.
A fire burning north of there is about half the size, but is posing a greater threat to the community. Despite that, crews have prevented any structural loss and officials feel they are making progress in containing the fire.
More than 2,500 people remain displaced from their homes, and officials say they are working as hard as they can to ensure it is safe for them to return home. So far, there is no timeline for when that may happen.
The province’s head of emergency management, Duane McKay, says they have been meeting with local leaders each day and in the end, it will be up to them to make the decision for when everyone can return.
“It was under their authority that people were taken out and we are in support of that,” said McKay. “We have a high degree of confidence that the chief, based on the information that we have provided to him, will be able to look into the future and answer that question for his people.”
Last week, northern Saskatchewan MP Georgina Jolibois asked the province to ensure more local firefighters were hired in the firefighting efforts.
According to officials, there are currently around 65 to 70 people from Pelican Narrows directly helping with the firefighting efforts.