Lobstick wildfire surges to 19,000 hectares; residents urged to heed evacuation orders

On Saturday morning, the fire was moving north toward Shellbrook, but was still about 11 kilometres away from the community.

“As you get closer to Shellbrook, you get out of the forest area and crews are pretty confident they are able to control that fire as far as coming into the community of Shellbrook.”

However, Weger said there is smoke and ash dropping in the community which is leading to concerns.

Helicopters, water bombers, retardant tankers, and the Q400 planes for firefighting are all actioning the blaze from above. Weger said one heavy helicopter from the federal government has been deployed and will be arriving soon.

On Saturday morning, Shellbrook Fire and Rescue said in a Facebook post that people driving on the back roads were hampering rescue efforts, with water bombers having to abort drops due to people being where they shouldn’t be.

“It’s human nature to be curious and want to see the fire, smoke, helicopters and water bombers up close,” the Facebook post read. “Emergency vehicles travel quickly and you are putting your own lives and theirs at risk by being out there.”

Local fire departments are helping Type 1 and Type 2 firefighters on the ground.

Weger said current conditions in the area of the Lobstick fire continue to be dry and windy.

“The fire is creating a large volume of smoke which is impacting crews on the ground and in the air at times and that’s why we’ve used a large number of resources,” Weger said.

“As the fire weather and other conditions change, the SPSA will adjust our plans to prioritize safety and human life, but will also adjust plans to work around changing conditions.”

He encouraged residents to download the SaskAlert app for emergency and evacuation information.

There are currently two evacuation orders in the province. In the RM of Shellbrook, about 65 households or about 130 people have been evacuated and are receiving support. The evacuation order includes individuals in the RM of Shellbrook who live in the hamlet of Holbein one mile west and five miles east of Shellbrook and are south of Hwy 3 to the rural RM of Shellbrook border.

The other evacuation order is for Red Earth Cree Nation. Officials said based on information received from Hudson Bay Fire Base and the SPSA, Red Earth Cree Nation declared a State of Emergency and is proceeding with an immediate evacuation of community members.

“We have been advised that the wildfire moved toward Red Earth Cree Nation throughout the night and is now approximately 2 miles from Highway 55, posing a direct threat to the highway and surrounding areas. Based on this information, emergency officials have advised that community members evacuate as soon as possible,” read a post online for community members.

A total of 13 buses were scheduled to arrive Saturday bringing prioritized residents to Prince Albert and others to hotels in Saskatoon.

Weger encouraged everyone to take the evacuation orders seriously.

“Disregarding evacuation orders puts your life in danger as well as that of that of emergency services staff. When someone is not accounted for, resources end up being diverted away from the response. It is essential to listen to the local authority before, during and dafter an incident and do not return until it is declared safe. “

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

by paNOW Staff

Lobstick wildfire surges to 19,000 hectares; residents urged to heed evacuation orders

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