The province of Saskatchewan is seeing some lower wildfire numbers as rain up north and other helpful events have tamped down on blazes in the region.
As of 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, there were 60 active wildfires in Saskatchewan. Of those active fires, six were categorized as contained, eight were not contained, 33 were ongoing assessments, and 13 were listed as protecting values.
Thanks to the improved situation, there are currently no evacuated communities in the province, and all highway access is open.
In the meantime, many assisting firefighting forces have either gone home or are at the end of their tour, such as Estevan Fire Rescue, which had its latest crew return on August 15th, with no current resources in the North and no knowledge of whether another deployment is needed. As well, the province has sent back resources such as firefighters from Australia and water bombers from Quebec.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says that to date, they've helped to distribute over $5 million to support individuals through the recovery process. The support includes $500 cheques to residents over the age of 18 who reside in Denare Beach and other evacuated communities.
Additionally, the Government of Saskatchewan has dedicated $15 million to the Canadian Red Cross for further support to wildfire evacuees. Residents who were evacuated may now be eligible for two additional financial support options through the Canadian Red Cross.
An additional $20 million went to support communities for the rebuilding process, with additional support from the province's Recovery Task Team (RTT) on debris removal, reviewing landfill impacts, supporting project management, and more.