Evacuees await return home as wildfires continue to rage in northern Saskatchewan
CBC
Residents of several northern Saskatchewan communities forced to leave because of a pair of wildfires are still waiting to return home.
Sandy Bay, a remote reserve community about 474 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, ordered an evacuation last week. On Monday, the Northern Village of Sandy Bay — the related off-reserve community — declared a state of emergency dating back a week, according to Mayor Gertrude Bear.
Both are threatened by the Flanagan fire which, according to the most recent report from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), is about 193 square kilometres. For comparison, the city of Regina is 178 square kilometres.
Meanwhile another fire, this one about 158 square kilometres, is threatening the Northern Hamlet of Turnor Lake and Birch Narrows Dene Nation in northwestern Saskatchewan.
Maggie Hunter was evacuated from Sandy Bay on Wednesday and is now in Saskatoon.
"I was just worried about my home, whether I'm going to have one when I get back," Hunter said.
So far, Hunter's home has been untouched. Her son is staying there and cooking for community members who have remained.
Duane Hiebert, the manager of emergency services for Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, said about 218 band members are still in Sandy Bay between those working to protect it, security and cooks.
About 110 families are still in Sandy Bay by choice.
Hiebert said the fire line is about two to three kilometres away from Sandy Bay.
"What we heard from SPSA this morning is that they were very confident that they would be able to hold the line there," he said.
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation is comprised of several northern communities, including Sandy Bay and Deschambault Lake.
Some members of Deschambault Lake with health conditions have also been taken away because of how smoke from a separate wildfire is affecting them. Hiebert said the nearby Arm wildfire is about 14 kilometres from the community and 11 kilometres from the community's only access road.
About 30 people from Sandy Bay are being housed in Prince Albert, Hiebert said, along with about 90 from Deschambault Lake.
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