Sask. fire evacuees allowed to return home, but some buildings lost
People affected by the Klyne fire west of Southend in northeast Saskatchewan are now allowed to return home.
The evacuation order remains in effect for medically vulnerable residents, including elders and children under the age of two, who left the area due to poor air quality from smoke.
Chief Karen Bird of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation says now that health care staff can safely return to the community, they made the decision to let people return home.
Bird says some properties were lost to fire, including her cabin at Deep Bay.
“A lot of our reserve burned in the Mistiwasahk Indian Reserve and Deep Bay area. And you know it's sad to see so much of our reserve has burned,” said Bird.
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has listed the Klyne fire west of Southend as contained. The SEIR01 fire is ongoing and the Cunning fire is out.
Some cabins and homes in the area were lost to the fire.
Bird says she would like the province to provide more training to local people who could serve as initial attack crews to start fighting fires in the area when they first break out.
Bird says the SPSA indicated the wildfire fire was mostly likely caused by lightning.
“More training needs to be done for firefighters to fight - especially near our communities and on our reserve,” said Bird.
“It definitely would benefit the north for these initial attack groups and the firefighters to be brought back.”
She says concerns she’s heard expressed by evacuees are what will their homes look and smell like after being so close to a forest fire.
Local people have also reported to her that there have been three power outages in the last two weeks that have been longer than 12 hours so they are also concerned about spoiled food in deep freezers and fridges.
Values in range of the Kylne fire include area include Southend, Deep Bay and Mistahi Wasahk Indian Reserve, Reindeer Lake Recreation Site and Highway 102.
Saskatchewan’s active wildfire count so far this year is over double the five-year average, according to SPSA data. So far this year, the province has seen 424 wildfires.
As of July 26, there are 157 active wildfires in Saskatchewan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.