REGINA — Saskatchewan continued Wednesday to make headway battling wildfires, but officials say there are still 49 blazes raging -- with more starting every day -- and more than 1,000 people out of their homes.
Steve Roberts, vice-president of operations with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, said many of the new fires have been started by lightning strikes or by negligent campers and others ignoring fire bans.
"We urge people to take caution, to adhere to the fire ban and do not allow yourself to be a cause of another one of these wildfires," Roberts told a virtual news conference Wednesday.
The agency said 1,100 people have been evacuated from pockets of remote communities, most of which are northwest of Saskatoon.
The hardest-hit area is the village of Beauval, which has forced 700 residents to move, while Parks Canada has warned those in Prince Albert National Park to be ready to go on short notice.
A notice from Parks Canada said warmer weather in Prince Albert National Park was expected Wednesday to cause an out-of-control wildfire to spread.
"While there is no immediate threat to public safety or the townsite of Waskesiu, changes in the weather and fire behaviour could put public safety at risk," the notice says.
The 3,900-square-kilometre park is one of Saskatchewan’s premier summer vacation spots, known for hiking, biking, boating, golfing, birdwatching or looking at wildlife including bison.
The province says it is getting fire help from provinces such as Quebec, as well as international teams from the United States, Australia and Mexico.
The fires have also prompted smoke alerts and advisories in the northwest, along with Saskatoon and other points south of the city.
The wildfires have also caused havoc in Manitoba, with about 6,000 residents out of their homes. There are 123 active wildfires.
On Wednesday, the province reported a moderate to high fire danger level with the threat of fire reduced in some spots.
The province is under a state of emergency and more than 10,000 square kilometres of land has burned in what is being called the worst such season in 30 years.
Residents in northern communities like Lynn Lake and Snow Lake have been evacuated for the second time since the spring.
At the height of the first round of fire evacuations, about 22,000 people were out.
The fires have put a strain on hotel room space, and Premier Wab Kinew's government has set up congregate shelters for those with nowhere else to go.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2025.
The Canadian Press
