Province Defends Forest Fire Fighting Policy

Province Defends Forest Fire Fighting Policy

Monday, June 26, 2006 at 15:21

 

 

A Saskatchewan Environment official says the department is not second-guessing a two-year-old policy for fighting forest fires in the wake of the evacuations in Stony Rapids.

 

Over 170 residents were sent to Black Lake yesterday, after a large fire crept to the northwest edge of the Athabasca community.

 

Emergency measures representatives say there could be a much larger evacuation of both Stony Rapids and Black Lake if the situation gets worse.

 

The fire was observed at a distance for several days last week before a stiff wind over the weekend prompted fire crews to take action.

 

Saskatchewan Environment spokesman Darryl Jessop says the department still believes in utilizing a so-called observation zone for fires that start outside a 20-kilometre radius of communities.

 

He notes this particular fire started 32 kilometres away from the northern hamlet last week, but covered a distance of 20 kilometres in a single day over the weekend because of extreme burning conditions.

 

Jessop also says complaints that water bombers arrived too late in Stony Rapids are mainly due to the inaccessability of the community’s airport because of heavy smoke. He says the department might have to review its policy on what should happen in that type of situation.

 

However, he denies the department is being extra careful with its water bombers in the wake of a fatal crash near La Ronge this spring.