By Glenn Hicks

P.A. feeling strain of wildfire evacuees

Sep 11, 2017 | 2:35 PM

Crews tackling the growing wildfires burning in the Pelican Narrows area said they passed an important test of their control efforts this weekend. However, Prince Albert is now under strain with the amount of evacuees being accommodated in the city.

Speaking on a media call Monday, provincial officials said the ever-changing wind direction and hot weather continues to pose a challenge. 

“This weekend was a big test for us and we were extremely successful with the work that’s been done [on protecting infrastructure and the communities],” Steve Roberts with Wildfire Management said. Even in light of the tough weather challenges this weekend, Roberts said, “we were able to protect those areas that pose the biggest risk.”

Two of the three wildfires – the Granite Fire and Preston Fire – have grown to 107,000 hectares and 47,000 hectares respectively. However officials stressed there was no increase in threat.

Fire Safety Commissioner Duane McKay said despite the weather and “dynamic fire action” they had made a lot of progress in stabilizing the threat.

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“Our focus has been on protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring essential services are met” McKay said.

As for when the evacuees would be able to return, McKay still could not set a date and said ultimately that would be up to the Prince Albert Grand Council and the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.

“We have given Chief Peter A. Beatty a technical briefing and will be giving him another with the best information,” McKay said. “We have a high degree of confidence the chief will be given good information on which to make a decision.”

McKay said the key issues were ongoing protection of infrastructure and the supply corridor of the highway which remained closed.

Prince Albert under strain from evacuees

Meanwhile Prince Albert is feeling the strain of having an extra 1,700 people in the city. Only 825 of the total evacuated residents are in Saskatoon.

Deanna Valentine with Emergency Social Services said they will ask evacuees in P.A. to consider moving to hotels in Saskatoon to help “equalize” the stresses.

“It does put stress on the health care system [in P.A.] and the hotels which have to increase everything, from laundry, to meals and other services, ” she said.

Valentine said Saskatoon was “a little less crowded and [evacuees] would have more breathing room.”

Most evacuees are in Prince Albert to be closer to family and friends.

Glenn.Hicks @jpbg.ca

On Twitter: princealbertnow