Creighton, Denare Beach wildfire evacuees can go home Sunday
Residents advised to bring at least a week's worth of supplies as services will be limited
The northeastern Saskatchewan communities of Denare Beach and Creighton will have their evacuation orders lifted on Sunday, allowing some residents to return home.
Municipal officials in the two communities announced the plans on Friday morning. Denare Beach residents will be allowed to go home at 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, while Creighton residents will be allowed to return after 6 a.m. that day.
In Denare Beach, only permanent residents whose homes were not destroyed in the fires will be allowed to return as of Sunday. For properties that are now disaster sites, campers will not be allowed, the village's notice said.
An announcement covering seasonal residents in Denare Beach will come within the next few days, it said.
People who have lost homes but still wish to return will be allowed to do so if they can prove they've been provided another place to stay.
Kari Lentowicz is one of those people. She lost her home in the fires, but said she'll be returning to Denare Beach on Monday to assess her property and staying in a friend's cabin.
"My home was obliterated," she said. "As my husband put it, it looks like the bottom of a fire pit after, after a good campfire."
Despite the loss, Lentowicz said the community is resilient and will find ways to rebuild.
"It's going to be different, seeing the homes of friends that are just not there, and the people who were already struggling and trying to find a way to help them as well. Because there's a lot of people in our communities that struggle. But there's a reason we're all there. Because it is home to us, and the people make it that way."
It also warned that the wildfire in the area is "still listed as volatile and remains out of control, and residents "may be subject to further evacuations if required and be put on a further evacuation notice."
To access Denare Beach, residents will need to travel via Highway 167, where there will continue to be roadblocks to check identification.
As the evacuation order for nearby Flin Flon, Man., is expected to remain in place until next Wednesday, Manitoba Highway 10 will not be accessible, the notice said.
To pass the roadblocks, residents will need to show proof of residency along with an ID.
All residents are also being asked to bring a one-week supply of groceries and essential items, including medications, pet food and care items, cleaning supplies and drinking water, as services are expected to be limited.
A boil-water advisory remains in place as a precaution, and a fire ban remains in place. Many phone lines are also down, Friday's notice said.
People are asked to visit the Denareplex reception centre to register their return.
Similar requirements will be in place for Creighton residents, who will only be permitted to return to the community through the Saskatchewan side on Highway 106. Access to and from Flin Flon will not be available until its evacuation order is lifted.
Photo identification and proof of residency may be required in order to pass road blocks on Highway 106, the town's notice said.
Services initially available will be limited, including "a lack of medical services, essential services and motel accommodations," and no current access to Flin Flon, the town's statement said.
It also asked that everyone returning to that community bring a week's worth of groceries and medications. People suffering from respiratory illnesses should also consider waiting until air quality improves before returning, the town's statement said.
"As long as people are prepared, and bring some food with them," Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler said. "[Also] any medications, because there will be no access into Flin Flon until they lift their evacuation order."
Anyone who needs regular medical assistance should not return until the hospital is fully functional, as medical services and ambulance services are "very limited," the town said.
The fire ban in Creighton is also still in effect. Fire crews will still be in the community to monitor hot spots, and will be closing the Creighton School ground to the public, as crews are using that space for helicopters.
According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, there were 20 active wildfires in the province as of Friday morning. Five were listed as contained and four are not contained. Of the remaining 11, eight were undergoing assessment, two were being managed to protect key buildings and infrastructure, and one was under reclamation.
Up-to-date info on active fires, smoke and related topics is available at these sources:
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