Over 1,300 Sask. residents displaced by fires as Shellbrook blaze cools down

The provincial public safety agency says two uncontained fires are still actively threatening communities. Hallee Mandryk on those forced from their homes.

Over 1,300 Saskatchewan residents remain out of their homes as two wildfires continue to spread in northern areas of the province.

Bryan Chartrand with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says the Cayford fire, northeast of Saskatoon near the Manitoba boundary, is burning vigorously.

The agency says the fire has forced out about 1,200 residents from two First Nations communities due to concerns involving smoke and road access.

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Another blaze near the Rural Municipality of Shellbrook, about an hour north of Saskatoon, has forced out 130 residents. Though as of Monday afternoon, the evacuation order had been lifted.

In a post to social media Tuesday afternoon, the Saskatchewan Health Authority noted it had “commenced the process of returning patients & long-term care residents to the Parkland Integrated Health Centre in Shellbrook.”

Chartrand says the Lobstick fire saw minimal growth over the weekend and rain is expected later this week in the area.

As the pace of that fire slowed Sunday, Chartrand says crews were able to move in some bulldozers to clear fuel out and establish fire breaks.

He says a chicken coop, shed and trailer were scorched in the blaze but crews have made progress to prevent the flames from threatening other communities.

Premier Scott Moe, who hails from the Shellbrook area, says provincial firefighters are working hard to keep the blaze from reaching the North Saskatchewan River.

Fuel is plentiful along the shoreline and could pose a real danger to valuable farms and acreages running along the river, he said.

“We wanted to prevent this fire ever having an opportunity to take a run as it has ample fuel alongside the river ... as it heads into Prince Albert, and we all know the communities and the acreages that are in that space,” he said.

Moe told a virtual news conference Monday the province is in a stronger position than it was last week.

“I think it would be fair to say that we’re in, with a little bit of weather, a lot of effort ... not a position of confidence, but we’re in a much more confident position than we have been in over the course of the weekend,” said Moe.

“(But) we have some more work to do.”

Moe took several opportunities to thank the provincial firefighters, local governments working to keep people’s homes safe from the flames, and the volunteers who supported their efforts.

“Big, big thanks and much love to so many people that did so very much over the course of the weekend and in the last week or two,” he said.

Rain relief

Much of the province is expected to see some precipitation over the next few days according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, which could offer some reprieve.

“Maybe some thundershowers, which are kind of a mixed blessing – especially in northern Saskatchewan, because we know that lightning can cause wildfires as well,” said Terri Lang, a meteorologist with ECCC.

Lang added that the high temperatures this time of year can have a significant impact on fire conditions.

“The higher the temperature, the lower the humidity, the more fires tend to start acting more aggressive. You throw in some wind there and you’ve got yourself a very bad combination,” Lang said.

Lang added that while the precipitation could bring some relief, those in Saskatchewan should prepare for a warmer-than-average June as wildfire season settles in.

" I think people should buckle up for that and just know what to expect. That it is coming doesn’t mean every day is going to be record breaking heat or anything like that. It just means that it is forecast to be warmer than average," Lang said.

With files from Hallee Mandryk and The Canadian Press’ Jeremy Simes