Sask. First Nation says public safety agency dragging its heels on fire response

The leadership of a Saskatchewan First Nation is calling for immediate action hours after issuing a general evacuation order due to an encroaching wildfire.

Officials with the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation announced the move, saying the Flanagan fire was directly threatening their community of Sandy Bay.

A late Tuesday statement from Chief Peter Beatty and the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) takes aim at the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, suggesting that the provincial entity is not approving the activation of hundreds of First Nations firefighters.

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Beatty said not utilizing such an available and qualified resource was a serious oversight that endangers lives and communities.

"There are hundreds of qualified First Nations firefighters ready and willing to assist, but the SPSA has refused to hire them, claiming it is too dangerous," Beatty said in a news release on Tuesday.

"Their reasoning? A lack of proper personal protective equipment. They say that our firefighters only have cotton overalls instead of the Nomex fabric coveralls required for fighting these intense fires," he said.

"This is unacceptable."

Beatty says the PAGC has access to the necessary gear, including fire hats and boots, and its firefighters have the same level of training.

"They are fit, experienced, and ready to help, but they are being sidelined."

The last update from the SPSA said the blaze was estimated to be about 130 square kilometres in size and was burning within 20 kilometres of the community.

Canada Post announced it had suspended delivery to Sandy Bay due to the evacuations. The federal postal service won't be delivering packages or sending its employees to the area until further notice.

"Canada Post continues to put contingency measures in place, assessing the situation and options, to best serve residents of these communities and to keep them connected," the organization said in an update on Wednesday afternoon.

"The safety of our employees is our number one priority."

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has more than 12,000 members across nine communities in northeastern Saskatchewan, while Sandy Bay has a population of about 1,800.

-With Canadian Press files