Rain Paves Way For Fire Evacuees To Return Home

Rain Paves Way For Fire Evacuees To Return Home

Monday, July 10, 2006 at 13:12

 

 

Residents from two more northern communities have been given the green light to return home today after being evacuated because of forest fires.

 

Now that Nemeiben Lake and English Bay are no longer under evacuation alert, it means evacuation orders have ended in all the communities that were affected.

 

The forest fires are no longer considered to be a direct threat to any community.

 

Despite the fact roughly 2,200 forest fire evacuees from northern Saskatchewan have been given the all-clear to return home, government officials are warning residents to remain on guard.

 

Saskatchewan Environment spokesperson Val Nicholson says none of the fires in the region are under control.

 

Nicholson says none of the fires north of La Ronge grew yesterday, thanks to the cooler, wet weather over the weekend — but she says we’re not out of the woods yet.

 

The department has felt secure enough about the situation to send home six water bombers from Quebec, Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

 

A total of 1,320 personnel are still involved in the firefighting effort.

 

The highways that had been closed north of La Ronge during the height of the crisis are now open, but Saskatchewan Environment is advising against unnecessary public travel.