14 members of Buckland Fire Rescue responded on the ground to the wildfire near Prince Albert (Submitted/Buckland Fire Rescue)

By Glenn Hicks

Wildfire

Wildfire near Prince Albert prompts rapid response

Jun 14, 2020 | 9:27 AM

Crews with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) were on the ground today, dealing with containment after a human-caused wildfire north west of Prince Albert yesterday. It sparked just west of Camp Tamarack.

Strong winds at the time created the potential for the fire to spread rapidly and it appeared the agency threw a lot of resources at it.

Buckland Fire Rescue were called in to assist. They had a crew of 14 members on the ground.

Chief Gary Schrader said there was a lot of aerial help.

One of the air tankers used by SPSA to tackle the blaze Saturday was photographed in action by a local resident. (submitted Tim Oleksyn)

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“There were four air tankers and two helicopters bucketing,” Schrader told paNOW. “We used water and manpower and SPSA were sending a clean-up crew today [Sunday].”

The SPSA estimated the wildfire at 45 hectares and not contained on their map ( Government of Saskatchewan)

Schrader said the winds at the time had the potential to make the blaze spread very quickly.

“Oh, definitely yes, they classified it as a Rank 3 fire,” he said.

Local crews were called around 2 p.m., and Schrader said his team was wrapped up around 10 p.m.

In an email to paNOW Sunday, the SPSA said crews had responded to a human-caused wildfire approximately 45 hectares in size which started in the Nisbet Forest and it was not contained.

It said they were responding alongside local authorities. Currently, there are 23 personnel, various equipment and one medium helicopter deployed to the fire, the agency said.

Editor’s note: this story was amended to include comment from the SPSA.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow