As forest fires are burned in northern Saskatchewan, the community of the Ronge is covered with smoke, and deal with fear and uncertainty.
The area has been under a warning of air quality for several days, and although no immediate evacuation orders have been issued, smoke and changing winds have kept residents alert and anxious.
“There is a lot of smoke,” said Tammy Cook-Searson, head of the Indian Band Lac la Ronge. “It is beginning to especially affect children who are asthmatic, or anyone with committed health problems.”
- Bad Internet connection? CBC Lite is our Band Width website.
In response, the band has opened a fresh air shelter inside Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Center (JRMCC). The sand is now equipped with large air treatment plants and is open every day from 10 am to 9 pm to offer relief to any person affected by smoke.
“We just want people to come here if they want to breathe fresh air to get out of the smoke,” said Arnold Miasty, JRMCC facilities supervisor. “Then we will serve coffee, water, whatever we have.”
Miasty says that dozens of people appeared the morning after the shelter opened: “He had the purifiers running since yesterday. It is pleasant here, and refreshing.”
The shelter also offers food, drinks, seats and transport support.
Online panic and official guarantees
In response to increasing social networks about forest fires, the Ronge Regional Fire Department urged calm in a Facebook post on Thursday morning.
“There have been some comments that circulate online,” the department published. “At one point, someone insisted that we need to evacuate immediately, creating unnecessary panic. At this point there are no fires that represent an imminent risk.”
The situation of forest fires in Saskatchewan is still serious, with dozens of still burning fires and new evacuations. The fire of the shoe, burning in the narrow hills and the lower fishing lake area, is the largest, which covers more than 300,000 hectares.
The publication continued to say that smoke and road closures are normal parts of the North forest fire seasons, and encouraged people to remain calm and trust sources of trust such as the direct line of Saskatchewan Highway for updated road conditions.
“This is something we deal with every year,” the Fire Department wrote. “The roads will close, the roads will open. There will be smoked days and there will be days when you can see large columns of smoke in the distance. Some ashes will fall, a few days will be clear.”
The main one asks for support
While the community remains nervous, Cook-Searson is asking for more support.
“We need to be able to train the members of our own community,” said Cook-Searson. “We also need the right equipment, so we can fight fires effectively.”
With nearby roads against road closures, including highway 165 and highway 102, Cook-Searson says that contingency plans for possible evacuations are not yet established due to the difficulties in leaving the area.
“The only exit is by boat or by plane,” said Cook-Searson. “We need help and more resources to establish those contingency plans.”
Updated information about active fires, smoke and related topics is available in these sources:
