NORTHEAST — The province of Saskatchewan has declared a state of emergency, and several evacuations have begun in northern communities due to the proximity of wildfires.
Tauvia Alexander, from Bakers Narrows, Man., made the decision with her family to evacuate on May 27. Bakers Narrows is located southeast of Flin Flon, approximately 15 kilometres from the city.
Flin Flon and the surrounding area were placed under a mandatory evacuation order on May 28 due to a rapidly advancing wildfire identified as Fire WE024. The order required all residents and visitors to evacuate by midnight that night. The fire, which originated near Creighton, Sask., expanded quickly and posed a significant threat to the community said the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA).
Alexander and her family told Â鶹´«Ã½AV.ca, “We evacuated from Bakers Narrows in the Flin Flon–Creighton area. We heard at around 4 p.m. that we had to evacuate, and we were reading on Facebook that Highway 10 was going to close the next day. Bakers Narrows was on evacuation alert, and we chose to leave while the highway was still open.
“It took us approximately six and a half hours to get to Melfort, where we spent the night before continuing on to Saskatoon. It took longer due to the amount of traffic.”
Alexander left home with her husband, daughter and father-in-law in two vehicles. Along the way, they encountered supportive rural residents in Hudson Bay. When they arrived in the town around midnight, they were low on fuel and found that most businesses were closed. However, Northeast Services, a local gas station and convenience store, opened to assist several evacuees.
Alexander shared her gratitude through social media, “We evacuated Flin Flon–Creighton last night and headed to Saskatoon via Hudson Bay. I would like to send out a huge thanks to the Hudson Bay Esso for staying open late to accommodate everyone needing gas, washrooms, snacks, etc. It’s truly appreciated. We were there just after midnight, and there were many people from our community fuelling up. Thanks again.”
Alexander and her family packed up as much as they could fit in their vehicles but the status of their homes is uncertain. As of June 1, Bakers Narrows, Man., remains under significant threat from ongoing wildfires in the region said the Government of Manitoba Fire Bulletin #19. Approximately 550 residents were affected by the evacuation.
