NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN – With wildfires raging across the province, Saskatchewan is scrambling to find shelter for thousands of displaced residents, even as far as Alberta.
“There probably isn’t a corner of Saskatchewan. That hasn’t been checked for available room,” said Tim McLeod, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, during a media briefing Monday.
More than 11,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with 33 communities under evacuation alerts. Displaced residents have been sent to cities and towns across the province, from Weyburn in the south to Unity and Swift Current, as well as major centres like Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon.
“Pretty much if there's a spot that will accept an evacuee, we've tried to direct them there,” said McLeod.
The crisis has forced officials to make difficult decisions, including separating families and community groups to accommodate limited housing and resources.
At one point, the province even explored sending evacuees to Alberta, said McLeod.
Steve Roberts, vice-president of operations with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), said so far 295 values have been confirmed lost or damaged but they are the SPSA are still doing assessments.
Residents seeking information on wildfire activity and evacuations are advised to call the SPSA’s toll-free number at 1-855-559-5502 or visit the agency’s public website. For travel updates, officials recommend consulting the provincial highway hotline and avoiding travel into fire-affected regions unless absolutely necessary.
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