Crews Battle Fires Big And Small

Crews Battle Fires Big And Small

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 13:18

 

 

Fires continue to burn in Prince Albert National Park, including near Grey Owl’s cabin, and across northern Saskatchewan.

 

A spokesman for the national park confirms that 15 blazes have prompted the closure of some campsites near the back of the park.

 

Adam Pidwerbeski says 45 personnel and four helicopters are attacking the fires which are all said to be small.

 

He adds lightning appears to be at fault.

 

Sprinklers are being used to protect a cabin — once the home of conservationist Archie Belaney, known as Grey Owl — from a blaze that is a kilometre away.

 

However, officials say there is no immediate danger to the cabin.

 

Visitors to the Waskesiu townsite shouldn’t be affected by the fires.

 

Meanwhile, fire danger around Prince Albert and La Ronge is said to be high, while around Buffalo Narrows the danger is extreme.

 

Val Nicholson, with the Ministry of Environment, says there are some very large fires burning all over the North, but none are of any threat to communities or other “values” right now.

 

She adds that people need to be very careful right now to ensure they do not cause any additional fires.

 

Fourty-four fires are burning in the province right now, with 223 firefighting personnel working on them.

 

So far this year there have been 329 fires; last year at this time there had been 312.