Local crews worked to manage an out-of-control fire on James Smith Cree Nation on Saturday — as dry spring conditions have increased the risk of dangerous wildfires in the province. Firefighters from Kinistino, Melfort, Garden River, and Muskoday were dispatched to James Smith on Saturday afternoon to respond to the blaze. Three homes were destroyed in the flames and over 30 people were forced to flee their community. Muskoday Fire Chief Troy Bear says he’s noticing a trend. “In the past two to three years, we’ve been noticing. We’ve been seeing these getting bigger and bigger in these communities,” said Bear. “A year [ago] today, May 9th, we had our own event out here where it burnt over 1,400 acres. And there too, we had a lot of agencies on scene.” The teams worked with Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) to fight the fire that has been contained as of Monday. Since then, areas including the RM of Kinistino, Big River and Meadow Lake have issued fire bans. The James Smith Cree Nation Office of the Chief released a community safety message urging everyone to be cautious of all potential hazards, including BBQs, cigarettes, and fireworks. Fire Chief Bear says in these dry conditions, the wind can quickly cause a fire to burn out of control. “It seems to be a growing trend with the drier springs that we’ve been having. Lack of moisture. The snow’s not really much, leaving much moisture behind. The rains are delayed and the winds are picking up quite a bit more, which adds to the fires as well.” The James Smith Cree Nation has put out a call for clothing and shoe donations for families affected by the fire, many of whom are sheltering in Melfort for the time being. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 17 active wildfires in the province, according to the SPSA. Two of those are uncontained, and four are under ongoing assessment.
