Fund collects hay, money for ranchers affected by wildfire

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) continues to raise funds and collect a wide variety of items to help farmers affected by recent wildfires in the province’s southwest.

A wildfire near Burstall, Tompkins and Leader on Oct. 17 burned tens of thousands of acres of land and killed around 750 cattle, with an estimated cost of about $1 million.

The SSGA launched a relief fund last week to help the farmers and ranchers affected by the blaze.

Shane Jahnke, president of the SSGA, said they have reached around $200,000 in donations, including items such as hay and fencing.

“It’s been overwhelming the response we’ve had not only from this province, but we’re getting donations coming in across Canada,” Jahnke said.

He said he wasn’t all that surprised by the response from people.

“We’re pretty fortunate to live in this great province and people like to give a hand where they can and that’s what we’re seeing.”

Jahnke said one of the items being donated was a large pallet of staples to help people fix and rebuild their fences.

The SSGA is still encouraging people to continue to donate and is looking to contact trucking companies to help get all the hay they’ve collected out to the farmers and ranchers.