Northern Saskatchewan village evacuates due to wildfire as others return home

PRINCE ALBERT — A change in a wildfire burning in northern Saskatchewan has allowed hundreds of people to return home while forcing about 1,000 others to flee.

Steve Roberts with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says that while about 700 residents of Beauval have started going back, the village of Pinehouse is evacuating all non-essential personnel.

Pinehouse is roughly 500 kilometres north of Saskatoon and about 100 kilometres northeast of Beauval.

Roberts says another 200 people from Montreal Lake Cree Nation have started returning to their community.

Col. Jason Hudson with the Canadian Armed Forces says 300 soldiers are assisting the fight by doing assessments, bucketing and moving crews around.

Saskatchewan is reporting 57 active fires, including 12 that are not contained.

Roberts says about 3,000 people remain displaced due to the fires.

“Plus 30 C weather will cause the fire behaviour to grow, and the concern will be the winds that come with it,” Roberts said during a virtual news conference Wednesday.

“We have brought more crews in, including the military resources, for this very reason. We do not see any quick reprieve from what we’re facing right now.”