Trees across the region were damaged after Sunday's snow. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Be prepared

Damage from snow outlines importance of preparation

Oct 15, 2025 | 11:22 AM

An early snowfall across northeast and east-central areas has highlighted the importance of preparation ahead of significant weather.

The heavy, wet snow led to fallen trees and power outages, as limbs fell on power lines.

Local fire departments were kept busy after the storm dealing with downed lines, including the Nipawin Fire Department.

SaskPower has also been incredibly busy since the snowfall, repairing lines and restoring power after outages in a number of communities.

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Melfort Fire Chief Leonard Whitney said it’s important to be prepared for anything Saskatchewan weather can deliver.

“It’s always a good idea to have your flashlights when the power is out,” Whitney explained. “Candles are also a good source of light and even some heat when you don’t have any power to your building.”

Having emergency supplies on hand could also make a difference should a power outage extend into days rather than hours. Bottled water and non-perishable stored foods are important to have on hand in case of emergency.

“There [are] all sorts of survival kits…and bottled water is always a good thing to have on hand in case it does turn into a lengthy outage that you can’t get water.”

While expensive, a generator would also help keep your house warm and well-lit in case of a lengthy power outage. Whitney said there are many different home generators that are available to purchase, and a generator you would use on your camper would also be useful, if it’s kept outside and no generator fumes are entering your home.

Whitney said it’s not uncommon for the department to get calls for downed tree limbs on power lines when snow is the heaviest.

“This is definitely more than normal,” Whitney admitted. “I know SaskPower was very busy that night, so definitely more than normal throughout the area, but we definitely see calls like that in spring and fall when the snow gets heavy.”

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com