La Ronge mayor says town looking to avoid a devastating fire season

Last year’s devastating wildfires in and around the town of La Ronge forced over 13,000 people to be evacuated from their homes and this year there are plans to prevent a repeat.

“We’re expecting a normal fire season but you always have to prepare for the worst. Last year, being moved away from homes, not knowing what was happening and all those other things that come with massive evacuations, that still creates a lot of emotions and people need to work through that,” Mayor Thomas Sierzycki said.

Sierzycki said he met with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and La Ronge Emergency Services to make sure the town is as equipped as possible to deal with fires.

“We are ready and prepared for a busy fire season and if it doesn’t transpire we are in good hands (because) we have planned,” he said.

Sierzycki said over $250,000 has been budgeted over five years to clear fuels in the community, and firefighters have received special, additional training, helping to make the area more fire-smart.

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“Holistically as an approach to emergency management, we’re that much further ahead than we were last year,” he said. “I’m really hoping that we have a good summer so people can take home what it means to be back in the community and not be threatened by a natural disaster.”

As of Tuesday, May 3, La Ronge has joined a lengthy list of areas in the province which have declared a fire ban because of dry and windy conditions.

julietkadzviti@panow.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow