Wildfire resources from Quebec land in Sask. to bolster firefighting effort

Water tankers and crew members from Quebec have arrived to help fight fires in northern Saskatchewan, according to the provincial public safety agency.

The Quebec government sent two water tankers, plus four pilots and two engineers, to bolster the wildfire battle in Saskatchewan, a spokesperson for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency told CBC News in an email Sunday.

The pilots and engineers are helping fight the Sharp fire, burning north of La Ronge, Sask., a town about 345 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. The aircraft, meanwhile, will be deployed to other fires in the northern region as needed, the spokesperson said.

As of 10:30 a.m. CST Monday, there are 26 wildfires burning throughout the province, including six that were not contained, according to the latest bulletin issued by the SPSA intelligence and situational awareness unit.

The SPSA considers seven wildfires to be of note, including the Shaw and Smith wildfires, which have each burned more than 100,000 hectares. The Shaw fire is burning between Buffalo Narrows and île-à-la-Crosse, while the Smith fire is burning north of Pinehouse.

Colleen Oneeye from Turnor Lake, Sask., about 70 kilometres north of Buffalo Narrows, recalls driving through the roadblock set up for the Shaw fire, and seeing the flames near the road and thick dark clouds of smoke overhead.

"I couldn't believe it," Oneeye told CBC News from Prince Albert. 

Oneeye lived in Turnor Lake when the community was evacuated due to a wildfire in the early 2000s, so they empathize with residents from places like Buffalo Narrows, which have issued evacuation orders.

At the time "we didn't know if we were going to come back. So I can imagine how Buffalo [Narrows] feels right now."

The SPSA is supporting 245 evacuees from Patuanak, Sask., who have fled to North Battleford; 165 people from Buffalo Narrows who travelled to Lloydminster; and 95 total evacuees from île-à-la-Crosse, Jans Bay and Buffalo Narrows who fled to Regina, a spokesperson said.

The agency is also helping multiple evacuated communities with logistics, they added.

Last week, the public safety agency implemented a fire ban for the northern half of Saskatchewan, per the provincial Wildfire Act, due to the extreme fire risk in the region.

More than 200 hundred local fire bans and restrictions are also in effect throughout the province, particularly the central region, according to the active fire ban map.

Environment Canada, meanwhile, has issued special air quality statements for northern and western Saskatchewan due to wildfire smoke.

Air quality throughout parts of Saskatchewan is forecasted to be risky Monday, according to Environment Canada's air quality health index.

Air in the Buffalo Narrows area is the worst it can be and is expected to stay that way through Tuesday night at least. Air quality in Swift Current is deemed "high risk" at the moment, but should improve by Tuesday.

Air quality in Estevan, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon is forecasted to be moderate-to-high risk through Monday night, but should improve Tuesday.