Sask.’s 4 major wildfires not growing in size, $1.8M distributed to affected communities, SPSA says

Volunteer firefighters from Davidson, Sask., load up their truck at the Provincial Wildfire Center in Prince Albert, Sask., Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The fire fighters are on their way to Weyakwin. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards (Liam Richards/The Canadian Press)

Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s (SPSA) vice president of operations Steve Roberts says that none of the four major wildfires currently burning in Saskatchewan are growing in size or threatening new communities.

During an update Wednesday afternoon, Roberts said that thanks to ideal weather conditions, crews have continued to gain ground on fires, a trend that has lasted more than a week.

The four major fires are the Pisew fire near La Ronge, the Ditch02 fire near Weyakwin, the Shoe fire east of Candle Lake and the Wolf fire near Creighton, a community that remains evacuated.

“We continue to do those efforts on the ground to secure those areas that is including those communities that have not yet returned,” Roberts said.

Communities that remain evacuated as of Wednesday are Creighton, Denare Beach, East Trout Lake, Whelan Bay and priority individuals in Cumberland House.

“Our staff are working with community leaders to pass on information on when the situation has been moderated to aid them in making decisions about repatriation,” Roberts said.

As of 1:30 Wednesday afternoon, 17 wildfires were burning in Saskatchewan, four are listed as not contained, according to the SPSA’s website.

SPSA president Marlo Pritchard said the priority remains ensuring financial support is received by evacuees.

“We are continuing to send either retroactive food security support, such as payment for groceries to those that have registered with the SPSA,” Pritchard said, adding that eligible residents must call 1-855-559-5502 to confirm registration or to get assistance in registering as an evacuee.

“[That is] so we can get those retroactive payments out which could be up to $200 per household per day,” he said.

Pritchard also said the SPSA has identified all eligible communities whose residents will receive $500 in emergency funding that was announced by the Government of Saskatchewan.

“Some of those communities have indicated that they will administer payments themselves and other communities are requesting assistance from us,” he said.

Every evacuee who was 18 or older as of June 20 are eligible for the $500 payment.

“I can announce that as of today there has been approximately $1.8 million moved to communities to start distributing to their community members,” Pritchard said.