Lobstick fire now contained as crews move into mop-up stage 

The Lobstick wildfire in the Nisbet Forest is now contained, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s latest update Wednesday morning, marking a major shift after days of rapid growth and evacuations west of Prince Albert. 

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the SPSA said the fire remains under 19,000 hectares and has not grown. Type 1 and Type 2 crews are continuing to extinguish hot spots, while the operation is shifting into the mop-up phase — the labour-intensive work that follows containment to fully put out lingering fire activity. 

Lobstick was first reported May 26 in the provincial forest between Duck Lake and MacDowall, 40 kilometres southwest of Prince Albert. Early in the response, local fire departments from Duck Lake, MacDowall and Wahpeton were among those assisting as the blaze spread quickly in hot, windy conditions. 

By the end of May, the wildfire had surged to roughly 19,000 hectares, crossing the North Saskatchewan River and threatening homes, timber assets and key infrastructure. Previous paNOW reporting noted concerns from residents in the area, as well as warnings from forestry operators that timber losses in the Nisbet Forest could reach into the tens of millions of dollars.