LIVE @ 1:30: Sask. to provide wildfire update after extended period of minimal fire growth, repatriation
Sask. gives wildfire update following week of minimal fire growth, evacuee repatriation. Watch LIVE here.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and Premier Scott Moe will provide an update regarding the wildfire situation in the province on Friday at 1:30 p.m., after a week that saw minimal fire growth and a large number of evacuees repatriated to their communities.
The update can be watched live at the top of this article.
On Thursday around 7,000 evacuees, mostly from the La Ronge area, began returning home as crews have been able to take advantage of recent rainfall and attack nearby wildfires more aggressively.
While evacuees from more than 30 communities have or are returning home, the province also said the La Ronge Health Centre emergency department has reopened, after being closed due to the mandatory evacuation in the area.
According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, acute and long-term care patients will begin returning to the facility on Monday, June 16. Mental health supports will also become available starting Monday.
As of Friday morning, 19 wildfires are burning in Saskatchewan, according to the SPSA. Six are not contained.
Saskatchewan has seen 258 wildfires so far in 2025, well above the five-year average of 147.
Of those fires, approximately 44 have been caused by lightning. The remaining are human caused and are divided into several categories.
Recreation – Caused by recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, hiking or quadding.
Resident – Accidental fire caused by people or machines related to agriculture or related to normal living in a forested area.
Industry – Caused by land clearing, harvesting or power distribution.
Incendiary – Arson, a device is used to cause a wildfire for the 'purpose of mischief.'
The province noted that many human-caused fires are accidental – with SPSA believing 30 fires have been intentionally set – including the Ditch02 Fire near Weyakwin.
A total of 290 values (structures, other types of property) have been lost due to wildfires. The SPSA expects this figure to increase to over 400 as damage continues to be assessed by teams in the field.
-More to come...
-With files from David Prisciak
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