Residents of Saskatoon and other areas in west-central Saskatchewan will be getting a bit of a break today from the choking smoke of the Alberta wildfires.
A change in wind direction will blow the smoke further north.
Wildfire officials in Saskatchewan remain on high alert with wildfire hazards in the high to extreme range in the western portion of the forest south of the Churchill River.
Right now there are only nine wildfires burning in Saskatchewan and all of them are under control. So far this year there has been 142 fires, compared to 123 at the same time last year.
Saskatchewan wildfire crews are working with Alberta crews to contain a blaze that is now burning about 10 kilometers west of the border. The fire is still more than 40 kilometers away from any populated areas in Saskatchewan.
An open fire ban remains in effect for much of the forested area in northwest and north central Saskatchewan.
The following is the latest from the provincial environment department:
- The ban area is bounded by: the Alberta border on the west; the Clearwater and Churchill rivers, east to Highway 2; Highway 2 south to the junction with Highway 916; Highway 916 west to the boundary of Prince Albert National Park (PANP); the northern boundary of PANP; the western boundary of PANP, south to provincial forest boundary; the provincial forest boundary west to the Alberta border. The national park is not included in the provincial fire ban.
- This fire ban also includes all provincial parks and recreation sites within the ban area, including: Meadow Lake, Makwa Lake, Steele Narrows, and Clearwater River provincial parks, and Bronson Forest and Chitek Lake recreation sites.
- All burn notification numbers – issued to those planning to burn in or within 4.5 kilometres of provincial forests – for the ban area are revoked. Fireworks are also prohibited.
- There has been no significant rainfall in this area recently, leading to extremely dry conditions. Fire bans are also currently in place in many municipalities in the province.
- CSA-approved propane heating devices and barbecues, pressurized stoves, or charcoal briquettes used in a ministry-approved firebox will be permitted for cooking and heating purposes for the duration of the ban.
- The provincial fire ban will stay in place until conditions improve and the Ministry of Environment rescinds the order.
- A fire ban in also in place for: the settlements of Bear Creek, Garson Lake, Missinipe and Sled Lake; the resort subdivisons of Keeley Lake, Lac La Plonge, Little Amyot Lake, Michel Point, Napatak, Ramsey Bay, Tower Beach and Wadin Bay; and the subdivisions of Potato Lake, McGibbon Bay (formerly Eagle Point), Nemeiben, Lamp Lake and English Bay.