JAMES SMITH CREE NATION — The Kinistino Fire Department confirmed three houses were lost in a wild fire at James Smith Cree Nation on May 3.
Brenan Smith, fire chief of the KFD also noted that another home was lost that day but in a separate incident and fire.
Twelve department members were responding to the emergency along with Garden River, Melfort, James Smith and Muskoday local fire departments battling fire, while an evacuation order was made.
RCMP and James Smith security were also on scene with many residents helping to protect property. The fire was started by human activity, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), and consumed about 100 hectares of land. According to the SPSA, the fire had been contained.
Original report, May 4, 2:53 p.m.:
The Kinistino Fire Department says multiple departments, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and the RCMP all responded to a large wildland fire burning out of control on James Smith Cree Nation Saturday.
Now, James Smith Cree Nation is looking for support from community members who lost their homes, items such as new clothes, shoes and other essential items, including toiletries, baby supplies, blankets and towels and flashlights.
Mental health workers were also being made available, stated the Office of the Chief on the JSCN Facebook page.
The KFD Facebook page indicates there were evacuations made as the fire was battled amid high winds and hot temperatures, making it difficult to get under control.
Crews set up on the south end of the fire to protect property, state the Facebook page. The second crews pushed on to the north end of the fire to stop forward progress. RCMP assisting in evacuations and shutting down roads so firefighters could focus on the fire.
The page says crews from James Smith Cree Nation Fire Department, Melfort Fire and Rescue, Garden River Fire Department and Muskoday Fire Fire Department played a big role in getting this fire under control and saving many properties.
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency had also been called in for aerial support to drop retardant, setting up fire breaks, according to Melfort Fire and Rescue’s Facebook page.
With temperatures soaring to the high 20’s and into the thirties on the weekend many RM’s and municipalities are enacting fire bans. As of May 4, The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency had 17 active fires and 99 to date. The five-year average to date is 47, which has doubled.
The rural municipalities of Torch River, Arborfield, Nipawin, Preeceville, Buchanan, Barrier Valley, Hudson Bay all have fire bans on currently. To find out if your rural municipality or community has enacted a fire ban, click here.
Check the daily fire index on conditions here for the entire province.
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