Saskatchewan wildfire evacuees returning home as conditions improve
Red Earth Cree Nation and Shoal Lake Cree Nation residents are heading back after rain and cooler temperatures reduced fire danger. The provincial fire ban has been lifted.
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Evacuees from Red Earth Cree Nation and Shoal Lake Cree Nation are returning home as the wildfire situation near their communities improves. Residents were initially evacuated due to heavy smoke and threats to the only roads in and out, though the communities themselves faced limited direct fire danger.
The past week brought rain across Saskatchewan alongside cooler temperatures. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said rain was the missing factor in fighting the fires. "We received a fair amount of rain through the area, and it improved the conditions," said Bryan Chartrand, the SPSA's director of land operations.
Along with residents returning, the provincial fire ban has also been lifted. "We're confident that it's drop our indexes enough that a fire ban is no longer required," Chartrand said.
The last of evacuees—who had been housed at the Ramada Hotel off Idylwyld Drive in Saskatoon—departed by bus back to Red Earth, happy their homes remained intact.