Fort McMurray wildfire consumes 10 per cent of city; blaze is slowing
REGINA — The Fort McMurray wildfire and another blaze in northern Alberta are moving toward Saskatchewan, but have not crossed the provincial boundary as quickly as initially feared.
Steve Roberts, executive director of Saskatchewan wildfire management, said the fire that devastated Fort McMurray was 30 kilometres away and another large fire was 15 kilometres from crossing into the province on Monday.
“And that puts them more than 50 kilometres from any Saskatchewan community, either of the fires, so no imminent threat from these fires,” Roberts said.
Roberts said fire officials in Saskatchewan were preparing for the fires and also working with Alberta to share data.
“The good news for us is that fire behaviour has dropped dramatically. They are also under a cooler, moister trend,” he said.
The wildfire did not grow to the size that was expected over the weekend.
Roberts said there was no timeline on when the fire might cross into Saskatchewan. Fire specialists look at weather, fire behav- iour and the fuel in front of fires to make projections about where the fire could go in a “worst-case scenario.”
“We have not seen any of that behaviour,” he said.
The closest communities would be places such as La Loche or Buffalo Narrows. The communities have been under special airquality advisories from Environment Canada because winds have spread smoke from Alberta into northwestern Saskatchewan.
Roberts also said that fires in parts of northern Saskatchewan last summer may help the situation this year. Some of those fires burned out large tracts between the provincial boundary and Saskatchewan communities, which means there is no fuel for the Fort McMurray fire if it moves east.