The death of 25-year-old Juanita Wahpistikwan from Big Island Lake Cree Nation in the RM of Beaver River on July 11 is now deemed a homicide, Saskatchewan RCMP said on Tuesday.

Crews are focused on protecting northern communities as wildfires continue to burn, says Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard. He spoke Tuesday on The Evan Bray Show about ongoing efforts.

Environment Canada has issued an air quality warning stretching from the Alberta border to central Saskatchewan and down to the US border, affecting Saskatoon, Swift Current, Prince Albert, and more in the southwest.

A 23-year-old man from Fenwood is dead after his all-terrain vehicle rolled over in the village of Odessa on July 11. He was the sole occupant of the ATV, Indian Head RCMP said.

Ten volunteer fire departments travelled to Beauval, answering requests from the SPSA to protect buildings. For two southern Saskatchewan firefighters, it was unlike any blaze they've fought before.

The Buhl Fire, which caused an alert to be issued on Sunday, has entered the northeast corner of Prince Albert National Park and is around 20 kilometres from the resort subdivision of Ramsey Bay.

Although a concession stand, garage, and a few vehicles were lost, Beauval Mayor Rick Laliberte said all homes were spared. Still, the danger isn't over, as wildfires continue to threaten the area.

Matthew Scoville was serving a sentence that started in May. He was the subject of a Saskatoon Police Service request for public assistance last October as part of an aggravated and sexual assault investigation.

Environment Canada said on Monday morning that the wildfire smoke in the Saskatoon area is supposed to hang around for the rest of the day and possibly tomorrow, extending into southwestern Saskatchewan.

Residents and visitors in the area are being asked to prepare for possible evacuation. According to the alert, the Buhl Wildfire is only 40 km away from Waskesiu.

Leroy Laliberte said things got chaotic once the evacuation alert came through due to how fast everything changed. "People were in scramble mode. I'm really thankful that nobody's been hurt."

Lead researcher Catie Ivy said a single wildfire event might not cause serious issues, but repeated events are when problems may arise. It could impact how birds migrate, which could impact populations.

In a recent poll by Nanos Research, it found that 3/4 Canadians living in the prairies highly oppose the proposed ban of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

A 25-year-old woman from Big Island Lake Cree Nation is dead following a fire at a rural property in the RM of Beaver River. The woman's family has been notified. An investigation is ongoing.

On the seventh anniversary of Jordan Ballantyne's death, Prince Albert Police renew their call for assistance from the public regarding any answers to the man's death in 2018.

Starting in the dark at 2:30 a.m. in Dover, Bowers faced cold water, strong tides and jellyfish stings during the grueling swim. "It almost felt like walking through a bush of stinging nettles," she said.

The provincial government has been holding free fishing weekends for the past 36 years. The program began in 1989 in an effort to increase awareness about the many angling opportunities in Saskatchewan.

The music festival's grounds in Craven are soaked following recent rainfall, leaving some campers "miserable" as they trek through the mud. With so much sludge, several voiced concerns about the bathrooms.

Rider fans agree that communication from the football club and the CLF could have been better after Friday's postponed game due to smoke. They're hoping a win will make up for the long night.

Officers seized around 247 grams of opium and 490 boxes containing approximately 4.9 million unstamped cigarettes from two men travelling from Ontario to British Columbia.

According to the RCMP, the break-ins occurred in rural areas around Swift Current between June 1 and June 26. Two people, ages 20 and 28, are each facing a lengthy list of criminal charges.

"We are definitely seeing a reduction in bear spray use in the community, and we're just going to keep at it and we're going to be diligent to eliminate it from our streets," Chief McBride said.

The Saskatchewan NDP has filed a complaint with the provincial ombudsman over incorrect SaskAlert updates sent during this year's wildfire evacuations, as well as delays in emergency funds and mental health support.

In a statement to media on Friday afternoon, Moe said that 95 per cent of Saskatchewan exports comply with CUSMA, and the White House has confirmed those goods are exempt from the latest round of tariffs.

Air quality advisories from Environment Canada covered a majority of the province on Friday due to smoke from wildfires, including major cities like Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina.

"Andrew Aubichon is wanted on warrant... for charges including, but not limited to, sexual assault, forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, assault by choking and assault causing bodily harm."

"Motorists are generally glad to see officers taking impaired drivers off the road and deterring driving behaviors like speeding that put others at risk," said Cst.Mario Chabot.

According to the health authority, anyone who visited the Rosthern Gas Plus on Highway 312 between 6:45 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday should monitor themselves for measles symptoms for up to 21 days.

Colby Bestrop has opted to sleep in a yellow bus with a retrofitted interior for Country Thunder. Meanwhile, other campers at the music festival are using tiny pools to keep cool.

Residents who lost their homes during the wildfires are expressing interest in a class-action lawsuit against the provincial government's wildfire response.

West winds over the next four days, followed by north winds on Monday, are expected to keep wildfires from moving closer to Patuanak. The Muskeg fire is 39.5 km away and the Smith fire is 28.5 km from the town.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the process involves "making sure we have the right leaders in place, making sure that we're holding people accountable..."

The highest minium wage in the country can be found in Nunavut, where minimum wage earners take home $19 per hour. Among provinces, British Columbia boasts the highest minimum wage at $17.85.

"The affected person's presence on the highway, lying in the lane of travel while dressed in black, presented an unforeseen event that resulted in an unavoidable and tragic collision," the report read.

Police said Michael Landry escaped from a work crew from the Saskatoon Provincial Correctional Centre north of the city on Tuesday afternoon, fleeing in a stolen 15-passenger van.

According to Saskatchewan's latest crop report, topsoil moisture levels continued to decline across the province, causing stress for both crops and producers and leading to rapid development in some regions.

"To Ashley's loved ones: Investigators will continue to pursue leads and analyze evidence until we determine what happened to your daughter, granddaughter, sister, auntie, cousin and friend."

Laura Gray has been helping lost campers get back to their campsites at Country Thunder for numerous festivals. "I think everyone deserves a safe Craven," she said.

Step into the wild, weird and wonderful world of Saskatchewan wrestling. From suplexes to storylines, Prairie Pro delivers a family-friendly spectacle that packs a punch, and keeps fans coming back.

Leaders asked Ottawa to change the way decisions surrounding bail are made and to create a "reverse onus" for anyone who is accused of a violent crime and has previous convictions for violent offences.

The ban includes the area north of the provincial forest boundary, up to the Churchill River, restricting open fires, controlled burns and fireworks within the boundary.

According to Saskatoon Police, the same suspect involved in the police chase also stole a taxi, hit a store, stole money and used bear spray in the area just over an hour prior.

The NDP is demanding urgent repairs and calling government action a "complete failure." No timeline has been set for when the vacant units might be ready for occupancy.

The Country Thunder music festival in Craven kicked off Wednesday, with early bird campers setting up. The live music runs from Thursday through Sunday, including a performance by Def Leppard.

Policing Minister Tim McLeod says Rhonda Blackmore served the province exceptionally well as the head of Saskatchewan's RCMP, and he's been asking for clarity from his federal counterparts.