By paNOW Staff

Wildfire threatens RM of Torch River

May 23, 2015 | 6:27 AM

UPDATE: Officials have officially declared a state of emergency for the community. 

On a weekend with fire risks that the province has termed “extreme,” particularly in northern Saskatchewan, a forest fire is raging in Torch River Forest.

The wildfire forced some rural residents in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Torch River, near the village of Love, to evacuate on Friday afternoon. However, no homes have been touched by the flames.

Firefighting crews from the province and nearby communities of Nipawin, Whitefox, Smeaton, and Choiceland are all working to keep the fire from spreading within the forest and outward to the area’s homes.

The fire had reached the size of about 225 hectares by noon on Saturday and was moving to the northeast, which is deeper into the forest. The RM of Torch River’s administrator Nathalie Hipkins said the fire had not spread, but not gotten smaller over the course of the morning. She noted there are worries about winds changing.

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The RM and Smeaton RCMP have been urging people to stay off the roads between Nipawin and Love because firefighting equipment is being hauled on that road.

By noon on Saturday, Highway 35 was blocked off entirely between Nipawin and Love, Hipkins said.

Alternative routes head even closer to the fire, which mean detours aren’t really possible, she explained.

The public is asked to avoid roads in the area between Nipawin to the northeast area of the RM of Torch River, and the area just north of Love.

So far no injuries have been reported and officials are currently not sure how the fire was started. 

If you are living in the area of the fire and have any questions please call the RM at 306-276-2066. 

There are 32 fires burning across the province on Saturday — up from 21 on Friday. 

The Torch River Forest reserve is 9,920 acres.

There are fire bans across northern Saskatchewan due to the dry, hot weather.

–      With files from Chelsea Laskowski and James Bowler

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow