Lac La Ronge Indian Band bets big on 'air scrubbers' to help combat wildfire smoke
The Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) has purchased 20 "air scrubbers" because the smoke from the northern wildfires has significantly impacted its air quality.
The machines, which act as purifiers, will be placed in multiple community centers in the area, according to LLRIB emergency coordinator, Maurice Ratt.
"We purchased these in the hopes that we don't have to evacuate anybody because of the smoke conditions. We'd rather have them in the community and keep them safe," Ratt said in an interview.
He said the band has two machines on loan from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), but they recently bought 20 of their own machines. Ratt said to do so, the LLRIB applied for an advance from Indigenous Services Canada because each machine cost's about $3,800.
"The program I go through is called the Emergency Management Assistance Program. They were able to authorize that purchase and justify our needs for it," he said.
Ratt notes the machines are available to anyone in the surrounding area.
For one Air Ronge resident, the smoke is an ominous reminder of the 2015 La Ronge wildfires when she and her family were forced to evacuate the area.
"Flashback trying to drive south with the kids. The fires jumping the highway," Shala Ricklefs told CTV News.
She said the smoke comes and goes, and sometimes it leaves an "eerie" orange haze.
"We went to bed with the windows open, and it wasn't bad. This morning we woke up, and it was just heavy smoke, so you could smell it in the house," she said.
Ricklefs said the machines will be beneficial for vulnerable residents.
"There would be a lot of elders and people with medical needs that need these air purifiers, so I'm grateful they're putting them in the community," she said.
LLRIB member Arnold Mirasty agrees that many elders rely on the air scrubbers. He said every time he walks into the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre, where the machines are located, it's like a breath of fresh air.
"When you walk in here, you feel the difference. The air quality is a lot better in here than outside," Mirasty said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 20 active wildfires, eight of which were not contained.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.