'Resources stretched thin,' Premier Scott Moe says, as Sask. wildfires rage on
CBC
Premier Scott Moe says Saskatchewan's ability to fight a plague of wildfires across the province is reaching the breaking point.
The premier was joined by officials from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency at a news conference in Prince Albert to update the current wildfire situation.
The province continues to experience one of its worst starts to the wildfire season on record. More than 500,000 hectares have burned in wildfires across the province so far this year.
"Resources are stretched thin," Moe told reporters in Prince Albert. "Just can't have another fire."
People need to be absolutely careful about accessing areas close to the wildfires as these are incredibly stressful and challenging times for those in northern Saskatchewan.
Sixteen active wildfires in the province have led to at least 17 evacuations forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has declared a state of emergency for the community of Sturgeon Landing due to wildfires. It's issuing a mandatory evacuation order because of heavy smoke from a wildfire burning in Manitoba and the increasing threat to road access in and out of the area.
The First Nation says all community members must evacuate immediately. It says evacuees must meet at the Wanless Store, which will serve as the staging area.
From there, it says, a convoy will travel to The Pas with support from emergency personnel to ensure a safe evacuation. If anyone is evacuating by private vehicle, they are urged to follow the convoy and not travel alone.
Wildfire smoke is also affecting other communities in the province, with air quality warnings in place for areas including Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Estevan.
The province's largest fire, the Shoe fire, has burned 305,000 hectares which is about 13 times the size of Saskatoon. Smoke from that fire has been threatening communities, including the resort village of Candle Lake.
The community experienced thick smoke over the last few days, but according to their latest update, the fire is "moving more slowly toward Candle Lake."
"However, wind and weather conditions can change quickly, and our pre-alert evacuation and voluntary evacuation notices remain in effect," according to the update at 10 a.m. Friday.
The Sakatchewan Public Safety Agency said that resources are being deployed to mitigate the fire, including type 1 and type 2 fire crews, helicopters, local fire departments and heavy equipment.
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