Most northern wildfire evacuees returning home

A large number of those people will be departing on buses from the Hank Rice Soccer Centre in Saskatoon.

“If all the loading goes as we have scheduled, we will have no bodies remaining in that centre this evening,” said Karri Kemps, manager of information and emergency services with social services.

Prince Albert services will remain open for people from Sikachu and Clam Crossing, which have not yet been given the all-clear.

The ministry will reach out to people staying in hotels, and with friends and family to let people know they can return home, and get more solid numbers on how many people total have returned by Friday.

Comparing the initial evacuations to the process they’re now in, Kemps said each have challenges. The evacuations are a focused and fast-paced process.

“On the way back, we all work together, she said. “It certainly feels more relaxed but that’s because we’re able to dedicate extra time to that process.”

Organizing a convoy of that many people on buses takes a lot of streamlining so that communities receiving the people are ready when they get home, Kemps said.

“We don’t want people to be inconvenienced, the evacuees I mean, on those buses and have them sitting in transportation for long periods of time while we’re organizing,” she said.

When people arrive in La Ronge, the Jonas Roberts Memorial Centre will be open and ready for people returning home to have lunch, coffee, tea and juice, Lac La Ronge Chief Tammy Cook-Searson wrote on her Facebook page.

In total, 14 cabins and one home have been impacted by the fire, said Steve Roberts, executive director of Wildfire Management.

Details on fire status

By late Thursday morning, the La Ronge-area fires had not increased in size from the past 24 hours.

The Egg fire is 22,950 hectares, the same size as Wednesday. That is 229.5 square kilometres, which is the size of Saskatoon and Moose Jaw combined.

The Sucker fire is a tenth of that in size, at 2,250 hectares or 22.5 square kilometres.

The Clarke fire, northwest of La Ronge, is 17,800 hectares or 178 square kilometres. That’s the same size as Saskatoon.

Overall, only three new fires sparked between Wednesday and Thursday, and the number of active fires in the province decreased.

This was favourable for fire crews, Roberts said.

“To give you an idea of the magnitude, yesterday (Wednesday) there was 418 personnel, 20 helicopters and 27 pieces of heavy equipment engaged in wildfire activity,” he said.

claskowski@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk

by Chelsea Laskowski

Most northern wildfire evacuees returning home

What's Trending