Residents of Pelican Narrows, located 400 kilometers northeast of Prince Albert in Saskatchewan, have been instructed to evacuate the area right away due to an approaching wildfire threatening the town.
The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has announced a state of emergency.
The wildfires have been raging in the region for several weeks now, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of individuals who have been relocated to centers in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Flin Flon.
The PBCN declared a state of emergency on Tuesday morning due to the intensifying danger posed by the Pelican 2 wildfire.
Individuals have been instructed to sign up at Pelican Narrows High School for transportation via bus which will begin relocating inhabitants starting at 1 p.m. CST.
The section of Highway 135 connecting Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay remains inaccessible, and residents are advised against using this path.
Highways 106 and multiple others surrounding Narrow Hills Provincial Park remain shut down because of wildfires.
Timothy Ballantyne was among several individuals who, carrying just a few belongings, boarded a bus on Monday and departed as they witnessed flames approaching close to their homes in Pelican Narrows.
“It’s really frightening. My hometown is on fire,” Ballantyne stated on Tuesday from outside the Saskatoon Inn, which is serving as accommodation for evacuees.
Fire is everywhere.
Ballantyne resides in Pelican Narrows, one of eight settlements within the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. This territory spans across 51,000 square kilometers of densely forested land in the northern part of the province.
The most recent report from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency indicates that there are currently 21 wildfires active throughout the province, with just five of them under control.
Several additional communities have been issued evacuation notices, which include places like Little Bear Lake, Lower Fishing Lake, and East Trout Lake.
To the southeast of Prince Albert, an area remains at pre-alert status, with special air quality warnings still in place.
