Fires stretch crews to limit
SOLDIERS HELP: Western provinces look to foreign assistance
Soldiers began helping crews fight wildfires threatening communities in northern Saskatchewan on Wednesday as other Western provinces called in help from foreign countries.
About 360 troops were out building fire guards and clearing brush near La Ronge and Montreal Lake.
Steve Roberts with Saskatchewan Wildfire Management said crews were making some progress and better visibility allowed aircraft to dump water on some flames.
He said the fire situation across Western Canada is so busy that it is a challenge for provinces to get enough firefighters.
“As we started down the road with these fires, Alberta and British Columbia fire hazards escalated, the numbers of fires increased and they had community evacuations as well,” Roberts said.
“That has stretched the availability of resources across the country.”
A Warman, Sask., fire chief described battling the fire at La Ronge like a scene out of a war movie.
“No one was around. Ash was falling. The sky was red and dogs were wandering in the mist,” said Russ Austin, who spent three days fighting the wildfire that is edging closer to the northern Saskatchewan community of 3,000.
The Warman volunteer fire department, like countless other Saskatchewan communities, was eager to help.
They’ve been on the ground in the La Ronge area since Saturday. Local volunteer crews in the province haven’t hesitated to help.
Flames and thick smoke have forced an estimated 9,000 people from their homes in Saskatchewan. Crews from Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and South Dakota have been helping out.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which co-ordinates firefighting services for the provinces, territories and Ottawa, said Canada may have to seek more help from abroad.
Environment Canada continued to issue special air quality statements for parts of B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwest Ontario due to wildfire smoke.