VIDEO: Rain helps fire efforts as Pinehouse evacuees go home

As Pinehouse evacuees return home on Wednesday, the province is working hard to make sure other communities follow suit.

Wildfires continue to rage in Saskatchewan’s north. Three fires were declared out in the last 24 hours while three new fires have started. There are still 126 fires burning with only a small portion of those contained.

“It’s not as simple, when we are talking about repatriation, as saying everyone can go home. There is a great deal of coordination required,” Colin King, deputy commissioner and director of operations for emergency management and fire safety of Government Relations, said.

King said the province is meeting with several other communities to make sure they meet the criteria to go home.

Rain helping efforts

The current fires have not spread because of the recent rainfall. Air tankers and helicopters are working full force because smoke is not an issue.

More lightning is expected on Wednesday. If it occurs in areas that did not receive rain, such as La Ronge, there is a threat for new fires to start.

However, there is a fire threat to Stanley Mission church, which is the oldest standing building in Saskatchewan. A fire crew is currently working to save the church, which was built between 1854 and 1860.

Another seven structures are confirmed burned since Tuesday in the rural area of La Ronge. Those owners have been contacted.

There has been a total of 93 structures burned since the fires started this year.

Firefighters

There are 1,756 firefighters working up north, including 210 from the Saskatchewan government, 380 from northern First Nations, 450 type three (fire line/low risk), 116 out-of-province and 600 military.

Evacuees

Approximately 200 evacuees in two buses will be moving from Evraz Place in Regina to Saskatoon. They will be moved to existing shelters at Henk Ruys and Sasktel soccer centres.

There are approximately 10,460 evacuees receiving social assistance, including 316 in North Battleford, 4,806 in Prince Albert, 3,269 in Saskatoon, 1,272 in Regina and 798 in Cold Lake.

Cold Lake evacuees are well settled. Most of them are from the Lac La Ronge area and there is no current plan by social services to move them.

“It’s important to respect the role of the northern community leaders. They are partners in this event and they have their own emergency network and communication networks in place,” Karri Kempf with Social Services said.

Montreal Lake is in a process to return home.

“There are times when community members make decisions to post information. Sometimes it concurs with the planning we are doing. Sometimes it’s just a readiness and over anxiousness to get there,” she said in response to a poster suggesting Montreal Lake evacuees will go home Thursday. 

Update from Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson as of 8 a.m. Wednesday:

Hall Lake, Clam Lake and Sikachu Lake
– general evacuation order remains in effect.
– still direct threat to community
– no other homes have been lost since one in Sikachu Lake in early June
– only essential service personnel are in community
– Stowers fire is about 5-6 kilometres from Hall Lake and 37 kms southwest of La Ronge (9 square kms) and not contained.

Lac La Ronge Indian Band,  La Ronge, Air Ronge and area
-    Mandatory evacuation order still in effect
-    Still direct threat to community from Egg fire (which is 1.5 kms from La Ronge)
-    Egg fire is 963 square kms and not contained
-    Areas impacted include La Ronge, Wadin Bay, Nemeiben Lake, Sucker River, English Bay and Highway 102
-    Only essential services personnel are in the communities

Sucker River
-    General evacuation order still in effect
-    Still direct threat to community from Egg fire
-    No homes have been lost
-    Only essential service personnel in community

Grandmother’s Bay
-    General evacuation order lifted July 11
-    Evacuation order for those affected by smoke remains (prenatal, elderly, have a child under 2 or have chronic health problems)
-    Brian fire is 8 kms northwest of community (189 square kms) and not contained
-    Dickens Lake, Grandmother’s Bay and Hailstone Lake are at risk
-    Monitoring Marcus fire which is about 4 kms south of Grandmother’s Bay
-    Crews are working on southeast side of Highway 102 to maintain that line
-    No homes have been lost

Stanley Mission
-    Evacuation order remains in effect for people affected by smoke
-    Lynx fire is 22 kms southwest of community. It has crossed Highway 165 at Lynx Creek and moved southwest toward Highway 102.
-    The fire is 300 metres away from Highway 102 at the 38 km mark and crews are working to contain it.
-    Cog fire is approximately 8.5 kms downriver from Stanley Mission. No immediate threat to community.
-    Sprinkler systems have been put on the Stanley Mission church to protect it.
-    No homes have been lost

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