Sask. wildfire flare-up forces evacuations
More people have been forced to flee northern Saskatchewan communities due to wildfire smoke.
The village of La Loche declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon. The community ordered evacuations for higher-risk individuals. Children under five and pregnant women were also included in the order.
In a notice to the community, the village also said others could choose to evacuate voluntarily.
Buses were scheduled to leave the village Wednesday morning to transport evacuees to Regina.
Nearby Clearwater River Dene Nation also ordered evacuations for high-risk individuals.
Buses started loading up with evacuees just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to an update from the community on social media.
The buses were heading to a hotel in Cold Lake, according to the update.
In another update, shared late Wednesday morning, the Frist Nation said nine dozers will build a fire guard to the west of the community.
While a recent rainy weather system helped in the fight against the province's wildfires, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) anticipates the risk of wildfire will remain high in the northwest for at least another day.
According to the SPSA, there were 20 active wildfires in the province as of early Wednesday afternoon. Eight of the blazes were considered uncontained.
In an update to media, the SPSA said it continues to support around 264 evacuees from Patuanak and English River, Dillon, Michel Village and St. George’s Hill.
Around 90 people are currently evacuating from the village of La Loche for Regina, the SPSA said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.