Saskatchewan is declaring a provincial State of Emergency due to the wildfires.
There are 17 active wildfires in Saskatchewan, and 15 communities have been evacuated, as of May 29. So far this year, there have been 206 wildfires, well above the five-year average of 125.
“We are seeing the devastating effects of wildfires impact communities across our province,” says Premier Scott Moe. “Therefore, today we are making a Provincial Declaration of Emergency to mobilize the resources necessary to safely evacuate Saskatchewan residents and to protect our communities.”
The declaration gives the Minister and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) more latitude to tackle the impact of the wildfires.
The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days and can be extended if necessary.
Anyone who spots a wildfire can call 1-800-667-9660, or 9-1-1 or contact their closest SPSA Forest Protection Area office.
The interactive wildfire map for western Canada shows the danger level being extreme in Alberta and Saskatchewan.