The wildfire count in Saskatchewan is continuing to tick upwards, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, there are currently 64 blazes burning across the province’s northern half. Eight of those fires are considered not contained, five are contained, 42 are ongoing assessment while protecting values is the priority in the remaining nine. Some of the largest fires include the Border, Costigan and Kerslake fires, which account for 11,500, 13,000, and 9,100 hectares respectively. So far this year, Saskatchewan has been host to 212 fires, as compared to 354 last year. “Relative to last year, so far we’ve experienced a lot less wildfires, especially human-caused wildfires,” noted Bryan Chartrand, the SPSA’s executive director of land operations. “Unfortunately, in the north, we haven’t received the precipitation that the southern portion of the province has experienced.” Lightning storms have accounted for the recent spike in wildfire activity, while the SPSA is attempting to be proactive by bringing in outside equipment. “We’ve also brought in outside resources, such as the Q4 100 and the 802 from New Brunswick to assist,” Chartrand said. “As well, being a little more proactive based on the forecast that we received, knowing that we’d be experiencing dry conditions in the north.”
