Northeast Saskatchewan's fire situation brought good news and bad news Thursday. The region's main road link is now fully open after a nearly two-week-long closure, but workers at Foran's mine project have been told to evacuate from the site.
Saskatchewan Highway 106, the Hanson Lake Road, was fully opened May 22 after being partially shut down May 9 due to fires near Smeaton. The fires responsible for the closure are still burning, but the main route from Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach, Pelican Narrows, Sandy Bay and Deschambault Lake to the rest of Saskatchewan is now open - all 330 kilometres of it.
Saskatchewan Highways and the province's Highway Hotline both confirmed the road was open Thursday. There is a warning that thick smoke from the fires could affect the area - motorists are asked to take caution while taking the road.
The road was originally shut down after the junction with Saskatchewan Highway 165 - the "La Ronge cut-across" - due to a pair of fires, named the Shoe and the Camp fires by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). Drivers had to either take the cut-across or drive through The Pas and Nipawin to access Prince Albert during the closure, potentially adding hours to the trip.
The Shoe fire is burning in the area of Narrow Hills Provincial Park and has burned over 20,000 hectares of forest, mostly to the west of the road. Natural Resources Canada and NASA/Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) mapping shows while that fire is still burning, it is burning away from the highway. According to SPSA estimates, the Shoe fire is still considered "not contained" but has not crossed the Hanson Lake Road.
The Camp fire, on the other hand, jumped the highway last week, but it is also burning away from the highway - the fire has been broken apart into smaller, more isolated hotspots, most of which not close to the road. The fire, which is still considered "not contained" by the SPSA, has burned around 42,500 hectares of land since May 6.
The road through Candle Lake branching off the Hanson Lake Road, Saskatchewan Highway 120, is also open - that route reopened for traffic March 20. A pair of roads are still closed in the area due to fire activity - Highways 912 and 913, both of which are located in territory affected by the Shoe fire. Fire crews will be working from Highway 913 on the Shoe fire Thursday. Water bombers, helicopters and heavy equipment have been brought in to fight both fires, according to the SPSA.
No injuries have been reported due to the fires, but some structures at campgrounds around the Shoe fire have burned as a result of the blaze.
Foran
Foran Mining is now evacuating workers from its McIlvenna Bay mine site near Hanson Lake as a fire burns toward the area.
The cause of the evacuation is the Wolf fire, according to the SPSA. The fire was first reported May 18 near the Sturgeon-Weir river on the west side of Amisk Lake - a lightning strike is believed to be the cause of the fire.
Since it was first reported, the fire has grown to the west towards the Foran site, burning around 2,000 hectares of forest and bringing it within 10 kilometres of McIlvenna Bay, triggering the company's site evacuation protocols. Hotspots reported by Natural Resources Canada show fire activity is moving to the northwest, bringing it closer to the mine site. Company officials made the call to send people away early Thursday.
"Due to the wildfire advancing within 10 kilometres of the mine site over the evening, Foran is progressing from a Level 2 to a Level 3 of our emergency response plan," reads an update sent from the company to employees. In the update, the company ordered employees to finish their work, leave the work site and to head to the main security site with a go bag. Some workers were able to leave in their own vehicles, while buses were called to the mine to pick up others.
"At this time when individuals leave site, contractors and employees are encouraged to arrange accommodations in the area so they are available to return to work when it is safe to do so," reads the update.
There is no firm timetable for when workers will be able to return to the site. No on-site equipment or infrastructure has been damaged.
According to the SPSA, the Wolf fire is considered "not contained." Type 1 and Type 2 firefighters, as well as helicopter and air tanker support, have been brought in to fight the blaze.
According to Natural Resources Canada, fire danger for the region is listed as "high" or "extreme" around the area of the Wolf, Shoe and Camp fires.
Fire bans
Wide-ranging fire bans have also been called for both Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
A total burn ban for the province of Manitoba was called Thursday morning after more dry conditions and little rain through May. The ban means no open burning of any kind, including campfires, will be allowed province-wide until conditions improve. The ban covers provincial parks and private properties and burn permits will be cancelled for the duration of the ban.
"Exercise caution when outdoors," reads the ban, listed on the Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures website. Fines of up to $10,000 can be issued for anyone starting non-permitted fires in the area and anyone caught starting an unpermitted fire could be held liable for any and all costs for putting it out.
Saskatchewan has had a provincial fire ban in place since May 8, including for areas covered by the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District.
Local fire bans were already in effect for Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach, as well as the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, The Pas, Snow Lake and other nearby communities. The City of Flin Flon also issued a temporary ban on driving off-road vehicles in city limits, which can produce heat or sparks that could trigger yet more fires.
Anyone who spots a fire in Saskatchewan is asked to call 1-800-667-9660, dial 9-1-1 or call a SPSA forest protection area office. In Manitoba, anyone reporting to fire is asked to call 1-800-782-0076 or 9-1-1.
Cranberry Portage
A fire reported earlier this week near Cranberry Portage has grown moderately in size, but fire crews have kept it from getting much larger.
The blaze, which was first found May 19, has now burned about 85 hectares of land as of Thursday according to Natural Resources Canada. The fire's perimeter was controlled by Manitoba Wildfire Services crews Wednesday and new fire crews have been deployed to the site Thursday. Road access near the site at Rat Creek along Athapap Road has been closed while fire crews fight the fire.
"There is still no concern for the community of Cranberry Portage," reads the most recent update from the RM of Kelsey, issued Wednesday night.
"Winds will continue from the east and southeast over the next few days, which is favourable."
