More fire bans have been issued by the Saskatchewan Government’s Wildfire Management division.
Due to continual extreme wildfire hazards across the Prairies, the Ministry of Environment has consulted with the Ministry of Parks, Culture, and Sport, and the Ministry of Government Relations to come to the decision to expand the last fire ban that was issued on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.
In addition to the restriction against all open fires in provincial parks and recreation sites, as well as northwest provincial forests, the ban has now been extended to include Lac La Ronge Provincial Park and all Crown forests north of the Churchill River.
The boundaries of the expanded fire ban area are: the Saskatchewan/Northwest Territories border east to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border; the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border south to the Churchill River; the Churchill River west to the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park boundary; the park boundary south to Highway 912; Highway 912 south to the junction with Highway 165; Highway 165 west to the junction with Highway 2; Highway 2 south to the junction with Highway 916; Highway 916 west to the eastern boundary of Prince Albert National Park (PANP); north to the northern boundary of PANP; the northern boundary of PANP; the western boundary of PANP, south to provincial forest boundary; the provincial forest boundary west to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border; the Alberta border north to the Northwest Territories border.
The area encompasses Athabasca Sand Dunes, Clearwater River, Lac La Ronge, Makwa Lake, Meadow Lake and Steel Narrows provincial parks, and Bronson Forest and Chitek Lake recreation sites, as well as Prince Albert National Park.
All burn notification numbers that were previously issued to citizens planning to burn in or within 4.5 kilometres of provincial forests have now been revoked, and fireworks are also prohibited.
However, Community Supported Agriculture-approved self-contained portable gas heating devices and fire pits, barbecues, pressurized stoves, and charcoal briquettes used in a ministry-approved firebox will be permitted for cooking and heating purposes for the duration of the ban.
There has been no significant rainfall in this entire area recently, leading to extremely dry conditions that are expected to continue. The fire ban will stay in place until conditions improve and the Ministry of Environment rescinds the order. Fire bans are also in place in many municipalities in the province. Citizens are advised to get up to speed on the fire bans and advisories in place for any areas that they’ll be traveling in or through over the long weekend and throughout the summer months.