Ottawa is sending helicopters and more manpower to support wildfire cleanup efforts in Saskatchewan, after the provincial public safety minister requested federal support.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said there were 56 active fires in the province as of July 24, 14 of which were “not contained.”
The agency said seven communities were under a full evacuation order with another four communities under evacuation orders for vulnerable individuals, including those with medical conditions, seniors, and pregnant women.
About 3,000 individuals are currently under an evacuation order, SPSA president and fire commissioner Marlo Pritchard told reporters during a July 24 wildfire situation update. He also said Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod had sent a letter to Ottawa requesting an additional 300 firefighters to support cleanup efforts. Ottawa approved the request, Pritchard said.
“The federal government will be providing Saskatchewan with additional type 3 crews to work on the wildfires, as well as helicopters to support transport and transportation of personnel,” he said.
Type 3 personnel are used to support type 1 and type 2 firefighters for fires that are under control or in the “mop-up” stage, according to SPSA.
In addition to the firefighters and helicopters, McLeod said he also requested value protection kits—such as sprinklers and hoses for structure protection—and water haulers for “wildfire mop up.”
Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the wildfires in Saskatchewan “continue to pose a significant risk.”
“The Government Operations Centre is working with the Canadian Armed Forces, and other federal and provincial partners, to deploy all necessary resources, and ensure the province of Saskatchewan has the support needed,” she said in a July 23 statement.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces arrived on July 24, Pritchard said, and the additional support from Ottawa is expected to arrive within 36 to 48 hours.
He also said that the province has received support from other parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Australia.
“Thus far, the SPSA has been able to receive specialized aircraft, wildfire suppression equipment, type 1 and type 2 personnel from multiple mutual aid partners, as well as volunteer fire departments and contractors that we have used throughout the season,” he said.
About 1.8 million hectares have burned in the province so far this year, SPSA said.
About 15,000 people were evacuated from their homes in June, during the peak of the wildfire activity. They were largely from the north of the province.
This wildfire season has seen a large number of evacuations in western provinces, including Manitoba. Approximately 17,000 residents were evacuated from that province in June.
Manitoba has 122 active wildfires still burning as of July 23. Sixteen are considered “out of control.”
