This photo from the Northern Village of La Loche's social media page shows how close the fire is to homes.

By Susan McNeil

Local wildfire La Loche

Local fire threatens highway access near La Loche

May 5, 2023 | 1:08 PM

With the largest wildfire in Saskatchewan burning between La Loche and the Clearwater Dene Nation now at 266 hectares (over 600 acres) but not growing, the biggest ongoing threat is the warm and dry weather to come.

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency the next few days are critical, said vice president of operations Steve Roberts in a media briefing.

“Our weather over the next 72 hours will continue hot and dry as we have seen over the last two days,” Roberts said. “That will result in wildfires being active in the afternoon and leads to us having very high hazards related to starts of new fires in the dry, grassy conditions of early spring.”

The fire has been named 23BN Local and is being fought by Type I and II crews along with heavy equipment, helicopters and air tanker supports.

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The Clearwater River Dene Nation announced a mandatory evacuation on May 3 and the Northern Village of La Loche followed suit the next day after declaring a state of emergency.

Evacuees who need transportation are to register at the Robbie Fontaine Community Hall while those who can travel independently should go to the Ducharme Elementary School.

People must register if they want to get support in the way of accommodations, meals, or gas money for drivers.

Many evacuees seem to have made it out on their own.

As of noon Friday, the village said that two people left that day and no more buses will be coming as five empty buses had been dismissed the day before.

La Loche evacuees are being taken to Regina in an attempt to keep families and groups together— with an estimated 3,000 people.

Accommodation that was available in closer communities was used by Clearwater evacuees the day before.

“If it was a small evacuation, we might have been able to accommodate in Prince Albert or Saskatoon,” Roberts.

Damage has been contained to a shed and an abandoned vehicle being burned.

The province is experiencing a busy spring, despite the its late arrival, Roberts said.

Right now, there are 13 active wildfires with four contained, two are undergoing assessment, one is classified as protecting property and the remaining six are not contained.

An average of 39 fires were started by this time annually over the last five years but 2023 has seen 73 so far.

The SPSA has also had 190 grass fires reported by local departments in the month of May. Every fire has been human caused as there has been no lightning yet this year.

All human caused fires are investigated, Roberts said.

The Rocky Fire is burning both sides of Highway 106 (Hanson Lake Road) near Smeaton and the highway was closed for a time yesterday because of smoke but is now open.

Smoke fills the air near La Loche in this image from the Village’s social media page.

More of the fires are concentrated in the northwest part of the province.

“We also have a fire near the Moosomin, Saulteaux lands and those pose some direct threat to those communities,” Roberts said.

With the current winds, the smoke will primarily blow northwards although communities very near the fires will have some local smoke.

Canada Post is advising people that their mail will be held for them at the North Battleford Post Office until the local location can re-open.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.