Thousands of La Ronge evacuees able to return home

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The evacuation order is also lifted for Wadin Bay and English Bay subdivisions.

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This comes after weeks of evacuees being relocated to Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Regina and even Cold Lake, Alta.

According to a statement from LLIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, buses will be ready to take those that need transportation back to their communities. They expect most people will be driving themselves home sometime Friday afternoon as the road will open at 1p.m. today.

Essential services will be available including potable water, electricity, and basic medical services. Natural gas will not be on yet in some homes as SaskEnergy crews are still in the midst of setting it up door to door.

Evacuees should try to bring necessary supplies home with them, giving local stores time to haul and put out stock.

An emergency room will be set up and ready at the La Ronge Health Center. At first, they will have to focus on emergency medical needs until the rest of the staff can get back and set up their equipment.

“Right now the hospital is not 100 per cent functional but the emergency room is up and running and ready to treat anybody who needs services,” said Cook-Searson.

The clinic will not be open until the start of next week, but a pharmacy will be open by the weekend.

Mail should begin to arrive July 21 from holding in Prince Albert.

Due to remaining smoke, the general evacuation order will remain in place for people with chronic illnesses, children two-years-old and younger and pregnant women.

Mandatory evacuation orders are still in place for all residents of the subdivisions of Eagle Point, Nemeiben Lake, Lamp Lake, and the communities of Sucker River, Hall Lake, Sikachu Lake and Clam Lake as the Egg Fire continues to be seen as a threat.

Cook-Searson said going forward she has called for a northern strategy that will be led by aboriginal people in the area.

“Just looking at, ‘What do we need to do as northern people to make the system better? What worked?’” said Cook-Searson, “There were a lot of things that worked but there are also a lot of things that need to be improved.”

“We’re going to have to get together shortly after everyone’s back home, once the state of emergency is gone because right now I still have two of my communities with Lac La Ronge Band that are under evacuation order with direct threats from fire,” she said, referring to Sucker River and Hall Lake.

Evacuees start their journeys

Neil Mckenzie has been evacuated for 16 days, while his pregnant wife has been evacuated for three full weeks. The couple had to take to tenting for a time when many of the regular accommodations were full. Eventually they were given a hotel room.

Mckenzie went to the Senator Allen Bird Memorial Centre to see if he could find family and friends but instead was given some good news.

“You feel that little thing in your heart just bursting, that’s how I feel right now. It feels good to get the news to go home.”

Getting to reunite with his family, who were evacuated to different cities in Saskatchewan and Alberta, is one of the most exciting aspects for Mckenzie.

“It’s a godsend. It’s beautiful; I don’t know how to describe it. It’s awesome,” said Mckenzie.

Travis Roberts said he is in no rush to get home, wanting to make sure that everything is set-up before he returns. He said he’ll wait at least another day in Prince Albert.

“If they’re still transporting buses, maybe I’ll jump on the bus,” Mckenzie said.

Still, he’s relieved. “At least everything is OK for us to go home.”

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With files from Khang Nguyen. 

asoloducha@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alex_soloducha