RM of Duck Lake reeve frustrated over delay on provincial fire ban as Lobstick fire burns in Nisbet Forest

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“And with the wind and the heat, it went rapid,” Martin said. “It moved yesterday, approximately 4 plus miles to the west of us.”

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RM of Duck Lake reeve frustrated over delay on provincial fire ban as Lobstick fire burns in Nisbet Forest

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Martin said the fire’s movement prompted the evacuation of several people as a precaution.

“This is a safety precaution,” he said. “And today it doesn’t look much better. We’re going to have heat and a lot of wind again.”

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the fire was reported May 26 at 3:10 p.m. and remains uncontained.

“Type 1 and 2 crews are assigned to the fire, along with one of the SPSA’s Emergency Response Teams,” the agency said in an emailed statement. “Additional resources include a retardant tanker group and helicopter support.”

Martin said local fire crews are also helping monitor the perimeter of the blaze, which has raised concerns about nearby homes.

“There is potential at some point — hopefully not this year — but other years it’s come close, that areas could be cut off because of the fires,” he said.

He said two or three homes near the edge of the forest could be at risk depending on how the fire develops.

Martin added the RM has been pushing for more coordination between municipal and provincial fire restrictions in forested areas that cut through rural municipalities.

“We’ve been pushing with the — working with, trying to work with the government to try to get the provincial forest under the purview of the RM so that when we put a fire ban on, the fire ban is also put on the Nisbet Forest,” he said.

As it stands, Martin said the province must impose its own restrictions in the forest, which he believes slows response time during critical fire conditions.

“We need to be more proactive on this stuff,” he said.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said municipalities, regional parks and national parks can impose fire bans in their jurisdictions, while the SPSA handles restrictions in provincial forests, parks and Crown land.

“Make sure to check with your local authority to see if any burning restrictions are currently in effect before you light a fire,” the agency said.

Several fire bans were issued throughout RMs in the province on Wednesday, including full and partial bans in some areas. The Saskatchewan Fire Ban Map shows 23 active rural and urban municipality bans in place.

There are four active wildfires burning in Saskatchewan and 68 wildfires to date. In 2025, there were 208 wildfires by this time.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com