Statement issued by Government of Saskatchewan at 8:21 p.m. on Saturday, May 7th:
Several media reports today have indicated that the Alberta wildfire is heading in a north-easterly direction toward the Saskatchewan border.
Currently, no community in Saskatchewan is threatened by the Alberta wildfire. Smoke levels are being monitored by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment.
The Ministry of the Environment’s Wildfire Management Branch (WMB) is closely monitoring the fire’s direction as it approaches the Saskatchewan border.
The smaller northern fire is currently about 22 km from the provincial border; the larger fire is about 37 km from the provincial border. The progress of the fire is weather dependent, and current projections show it moving east toward over the next 18 hours.
At present there has been little significant movement of the fires.
WMB is coordinating with its Alberta counterpart to provide the necessary resources to contain the fire. Tanker aircraft from Saskatchewan have been attacking the fire, and a plan is in place to remove potential fuel from the fire’s projected path with controlled burns.
A fire ban is now in effect in over 100 communities across Saskatchewan including the Saskatchewan Northern Administrative District (NSAD). The GOS urges everyone to be “fire-smart” and take extra precautions when they are lighting fires or BBQs.