General evacuation issued for Lac La Ronge communities
More than 7,000 people in the Lac La Ronge and Hall Lake areas have been asked to evacuate as fire creeps closer to the communities.
A general evacuation has been advised for La Ronge, Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band as the Egg fire moves to within eight kilometers north to the east side of Hives Lake. Meanwhile fire is within 500 metres of Hall Lake, Sikichew and Clam Lake Bridge and is a direct threat to the communities, according toLac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson.
“So socked in with smoke we can’t see across our lake,” said Jenni Willems, who is helping her father evacuate his home near Lamp Lake, 10 kilometres north of La Ronge. “I wouldn’t say scary. You grow up in the north, you’re surrounded by forest fires, you’re kind of mentally prepared for that, but to actually see it happening is another thing all together.”
The evacuation notice is the largest single notice to date, and will add to the current 5,588 Northern Saskatchewan evacuees. It is unclear where all evacuees will be housed.