'Resources stretched thin,' Premier Scott Moe says, as Saskatchewan wildfires rage on

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 on Saturday 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 because of the severity of the situation that we're facing and the intensity and the proximity of the fires," Moe told reporters. "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.

Sandy Oosterlaken from the village of Denare Beach, where there is an evacuation order, said she had about 30 minutes to leave her home. But as she was told to leave, her husband was trapped on the other side with no access to essentials.

"My husband was trapped on the other side of the barricade with no pills, no food, no nothing. They wouldn't let him come to me to evacuate," she said. 

Oosterlaken managed to get to him, but now the couple are in limbo trying to figure out where they're going to go. They have no idea where to spend the night and for how long.

"We're trying to register with Saskatchewan Red Cross; I've tried numerous times," she said. She hasn't been able to register with any of the evacuation organizers so far.

"Worse happens, we're sleeping in the car. We'll just keep traveling from town to town to town to town till hopefully we find something," Oosterlaken said, adding that first they're headed to Saskatoon. 

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 and that 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, Man., 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.