Forest fires are threatening two northern communities.
On Wednesday afternoon, Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson declared a state of emergency in Stanley Mission.
She says fires are currently burning very close to the community and students at the local school were sent home early as a precaution.
Gordon Hardlotte, the director of operations for Stanley Mission, says about 100 people have been evacuated from the community due to smoke inhalation concerns once winds settle.
He says those evacuated include people with respiratory problems, young children and elders.
“We’re taking them to La Ronge, we do have some rooms booked at the La Ronge Motor Inn and also the Jonas Roberts Memorial Centre is also getting ready for some evacuees,” he says.
Hardlotte adds both local and provincial firefighters are working diligently to contain the fires.
Saskatchewan Environment also confirms two fires are currently burning in the vicinity of the Stanley Mission area.
The province is responding with air tankers and ground crews are working on the fire adjacent to the community.
The other fire is burning away from the community and attempts are being made to contain it as well.
Another fire, just north of Pelican Narrows, crossed the only road to Sandy Bay and the Island Falls Dam on Wednesday morning.
Hwy 135 was subsequently shut down about two kilometres north of Pelican Narrows.
Water bombers from La Ronge are on the scene.
It’s not clear where on the highway the fire actually crossed but officials were hopeful the highway might be re-opened sometime later Wednesday.
The Pearl fire, which was reported to Saskatchewan Environment on Tuesday, is about 50 hectares in size and believed to be human caused.