With the continued warm weather and high winds, an increasing number of people in the northeastern region of the province are being forced to flee their homes, their belongings, and their livelihoods.
The Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S) government is responding to the need for refuge by opening the Batoche Festival Grounds to all northern wildfire evacuees looking for a secure place to wait out the current situation.
Evacuees are welcome and should take the following steps:
- Call 855-559-5502 (Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency) to register your destination
- To register for Batoche, call 1-877-MétisSK (ext. 9)
“The Batoche grounds are open to anyone who needs a safe place. In northern Saskatchewan, when you take any community, they’re mixed: Métis, First Nations and non-Indigenous,” MN–S president Glen McCallum said.
“Wildfires have no borders, and we’re not going to create borders, it’s just a matter of fine-tuning the partnership we have with Métis, First Nations and non-Indigenous people. As always at Batoche, there’s room for everyone.”
As of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, there were more than 100 people on the festival grounds, in various living spaces. On site are offered trappers’ tents outfitted with cots, Wi-Fi service to keep in touch with family, traditional food and cultural activities.
For anyone who wants to help the Batoche emergency relief efforts, a donation centre has been established in Saskatoon at CUMFI, 315 – Ave. M S. The current high-priority needs for evacuees are: toiletries (such as tooth brushes, tooth paste, and feminine hygiene products), diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, and clean bedding. Other priority needs include: masks, air purifiers and work gloves. The donations made at CUMFI intended for Batoche will be delivered accordingly.
The MN–S government says it continues to work with its partners provincially and federally to ensure the resources are there to provide for northern evacuees as necessary, for as long as the need exists.
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