Muskeg wildfire prompts state of emergency in Patuanak

The Hamlet of Patuanak has declared a state of emergency while the community of Beauval orders all remaining residents to evacuate as the Muskeg fire burns “dangerously close.”

English River First Nation emergency management says the community of Patuanak is still significantly far from the fire — just under 40 km, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

However, the only highway in or out is closed due to the wildfire, and it’s becoming difficult to get resources to the community.

“There’s a 21-km stretch of hot road on a 918 that isn’t passable due to the fire being right on it,” said ERFN emergency management coordinator Candyce Paul. “It’s not like a regular highway, bushes up to the ditches.”

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Earlier this week the hamlet lost power for 19 hours. ERFN said it could happen again, and so they decided to evacuate priority one and two residents by plane.

Residents were flown to Buffalo Narrows and, from there, bused to Lloydminster. The rest of the population remains in Patuanak.

“Other than the road being closed and some power outages, which are significant inconveniences. They are being looked after fine,” said Paul.

The ERFN evacuated 141 people from La Plonge on July 1st, with the muskeg fire only three km from that community.

The SPSA said Wednesday the cluster of fires around Beauval and La Plonge were most likely started by lightning.

Bryan Chartrand, the land operations executive director, said they have a type two team currently battling the wildfire.

“”We have the resources and we are getting more as required. But, you know, unfortunately, it takes a little bit of time to gather that information and then also access these fires and see where they are going.”

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