Recent rainfall reduces wildfire threat across Saskatchewan

Recent rainfall in some parts of Saskatchewan has reduced the wildfire threat in the province, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA).

According to officials who provided an update on Friday, firefighters have been able to gain more control over some fires, while others have shrunk in size.

“We have had some showers on some of these fires,” SPSA vice president Steve Roberts said.

“We have a lot [of oportunity] for crews to switch from indirect to direct attack and put more resources on the lines securing those critical boundaries that are near the communities.”

The SPSA also said that evacuees from Buffalo Narrows and Ile-a-la-Crosse who were staying in Regina have now returned to their communities.

“All of the communities that were threatened, we have been successful in keeping the fires from entering and damaging those communities,” Roberts said.

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“We have reported damage to some of the SaskPower infrastructure, which has been repaired this time by SaskPower,” he added.

SPSA continues to provide emergency crisis support to evacuees from Dillon, St. Georges Hill, Michel Village, English River First Nation and Pimicikamak in Lloydminster and North Battleford.

“The support includes food, clothing, shelter and other services,” SPSA president Marlo Pritchard said.

The SPSA also continues to support 52 people in Lloydminister from Buffalo Narrows and 131 people in North Battleford.

Pritchard said there are still 20 active wildfires currently burning in the province.

The SPSA’s website says five of those fires are considered not contained as of Friday afternoon.

There have been 187 wildfires across Saskatchewan so far in 2023, according to the SPSA.

The five year average for this time of year is 114.

• Current Sask. fire bans can be seen here