Evacuees from the Pikangikum wildfires have been relatively calm while taking temporary shelter at the University of Regina.
During an update Tuesday morning, the province says despite recent crime that has involved evacuees, things have gone relatively smoothly for all involved.
Saskatchewan Public Safety spokesperson Duane McKay said any damage to the university is not out of the ordinary.
“Damage to carpet or bedding, and so on, so no structural damage, no significant damage,” McKay said. “They (the university) said it’s basically not unexpected damage when you have people coming in for different reasons.”
McKay said with the recent crime activity at the U of R, steps have been taken to prevent it from continuing.
“Like any situation, if you can get to it very early you can reduce the impacts of that, and so that’s what we’re doing,” McKay said. “Regina Police Service has got a strong presence here as well, and we’re working very closely with the regular security staff of the U of R.”
McKay said overall, the evacuees are very friendly.
“They talk to you when you’re walking down the hallway, but obviously they’re from a different environment,” McKay said. “Our goal has been to keep them busy with positive experiences, and that seems to be working pretty well.”
Recent rains that hit Saskatchewan are now hitting Northern Ontario, which according to McKay, means conditions are getting better in the area.
