LA RONGE — Jessica Leeson, graduate of Unity Composite High School and former resident of Unity, is experiencing Saskatchewan's growing wildfire scene firsthand as she works as a dispatcher for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA).
"This is my fifth fire season, but my first with the SPSA. Before this, I spent four seasons with Alberta Wildfire, working all over the province — two seasons as a dispatcher and two as a crew leader. These have all been seasonal positions that I've done during the summers once school is over," says Leeson
Leeson said as of May 29, she was safe and still in La Ronge, but on June 2, La Ronge was ordered to evacuate.
"When you look around, there are huge smoke columns in every direction, and I don't think I've ever seen the visibility as bad as it was today. It's sad to see that people in Saskatchewan are losing cabins, homes and other valuables."
Leeson acknowledges, "Everyone is working incredibly hard to keep people safe. And we are thankful for the out-of-province resources that have come in to help us ...it's looking like it could be a long season.”
As Premier Moe has announced June 1, more help is coming. The provinces' residents are increasingly thankful for those people like Leeson and the growing team of firefighters who have been manning the front lines since the whole fire crisis began.
