Forest fires in Saskatchewan led to road closures, air quality statements and an enlarged fire ban on Monday.
There were 19 active fires throughout the province from Monday to 11 AM CST, with only six considered content, according to the Public Security Agency of Saskatchewan (SPSA).
Special air quality statements were made in force on Monday for the entire Northeast of Saskatchewan due to the smoke of forest fires.
Until Monday afternoon, highway 3 south of Prince Albert closed in both directions due to the low visibility of the smoke, as well as the 106, 120, 912 and 913 northeastern highways of Prince Albert in the narrow provincial park of Hills. The 135 highway, northeast of Pelican Narrows to Sandy Bay, also closed. Updates are available in Sask. Road direct line website.
RCMP advises travelers to take alternative routes and avoid areas where there is heavy smoke.
On Monday afternoon, the SPSA expanded its provincial fire prohibition to include all vacancies and the provincial forest, including provincial parks and the administrative district of Northern Saskatchewan.
- Bad Internet connection? CBC Lite It is our low bandwidth website.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders for areas threatened by forest fires, including Brabant Lake, Little Bear Lake, Lower Fishing Lake and East Trout Lake have been issued.
Pelican Narrows put under a partial evacuation order on Sunday due to a forest fire in a kilometer of the community, located about 400 kilometers northeast of Prince Albert.
The order was applied to people with medical conditions and those living in the northern half of the community. An registration center was installed at Pelican Narrows high school and buses were organized on Sunday night and Saturday morning to transfer people to Prince Albert.
Nic Swiderski has a cabin in East Trout Lake that was built by its grandparents in 1970.
Swiderski said that by Sunday night, all residents were forced to leave their homes when a forest fire descended on the area.
“Things were progressing quite a lot,” he said.
“The sprinklers were running, nobody was left and they waited [the fire] To hit at some time in the morning, early in the morning. “
The 927 highway, the only way to enter and leave the east trout lake, also closed due to the fire. Swiderski said the rapid evacuation and closing of the road forced him to leave many of his belongings in the cabin.
“There are many sentimental things,” he said. “Actually, my two grandparents … their ashes are in the cabin right now.”
Swiderski said residents are dealing with the unknown, waiting for updates on possible damage.
“You will never look the same, I have reached an agreement with that,” he said.
“The small boats we have in some of the small lakes that we have fish, I have accepted, you know, they probably have gone.”
Near, Candle Lake is also beginning to feel the impact of forest fires. Many guests are changing their reservations or canceling completely, said Erin Ostlund, general manager of Candle Lake Golf Resort, in an email to CBC on Monday.
Ostlund said many of the surrounding areas have been evacuated.
“The evacuations include emergency equipment that work in the affected areas, so we are seeing an influx of equipment in the Candle Lake Golf Resort,” Ostland said.
The golf complex has established emergency plans for all staff and guests.
The officials continue to urge all residents and visitors in evacuation areas to go immediately and consult the SPSA website to obtain updates.
