Wildfires and fire bans in northern Saskatchewan — along with smoke from those fires — could put a damper on the May long weekend.
According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), there are currently 11 wildfires burning. Five are not under control and one remains under investigation. That number is down from 24 wildfires a week ago, though three new fires were reported overnight as of Thursday morning.
The SPSA’s main focus is on three uncontrolled fires in the Candle Lake area, which have been named the Shoe, Boot and Camp fires. The Camp fire is located about 25 kilometres east of Candle Lake.
“Our resources fluctuate as they’re needed and prioritized. They can go from fire to fire or to new starts, so the exact numbers fluctuate throughout the day. But, as of this moment, we have 53 resources on the Camp fire and we have 65 resources on the Shoe fire,” said Bryan Chartrand, executive director of land operations with the SPSA.
Additional resources have been called in from Alaska and Quebec to help fight the fires.
“Through mutual agreements, the SPSA has requested additional resources. The agency has brought in three external resources. We received two CL-215 water bombers from Quebec and we received one Q400 from Alaska,” Chartrand said.
If you're planning a trip to northern Saskatchewan for the long weekend, keep in mind wildfire-related closures. Narrow Hills Provincial Park has been closed for the season due to the Shoe, Boot and Camp fires. Fire bans have also been implemented by the SPSA from the provincial forest boundary north to the Churchill River. The following provincial parks are affected:
- Bronson Forest Recreation Site
- Candle Lake Provincial Park
- Fort Pitt Provincial Park
- Great Blue Heron Provincial Park
- Lac La Ronge Provincial Park
- Makwa Lake Provincial Park
- Meadow Lake Provincial Park
- Narrow Hills Provincial Park
- Porcupine Hills Provincial Park
- Steele Narrows Provincial Park
- Wildcat Hill Provincial Park
Aside from the wildfires, the following provincial parks currently have fire restrictions in place:
- The Battlefords Provincial Park
- Blackstrap Provincial Park
- Duck Mountain Provincial Park
- Fort Carlton Provincial Historic Park
- Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park
- Greenwater Lake Provincial Park
- Pike Lake Provincial Park
The SPSA is reminding residents heading into the long weekend that much of the province is dry, and wildfire risk is high.
“Please do not let your fire go wild. Continue to take precautions. If you are heading outdoors this weekend, it is important to be diligent and be aware of fire bans. A PDF and interactive map is available on the saskpublicsafety.ca website,” Chartrand said.
Chartrand offered the following tips:
- Avoid driving on dry grass
- Fully extinguish campfires, ensuring embers are cold
- Talk to your children about fire safety
While there are no fire bans in the Moose Jaw area, smoke from wildfires still poses a health risk. Southern Saskatchewan is being affected by smoke from two directions: fires in the north are pushing smoke southwest, while large fires burning along the Manitoba–Ontario border are sending smoke westward.
Moose Jaw could experience smoke throughout Friday, although it is expected to move west by Saturday.
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