Residents of Pelican Narrows, located 400 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, are under immediate evacuation orders as a wildfire approaches dangerously close to the community. The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating Pelican 2 wildfire.
The region has been battling wildfires for weeks, prompting the evacuation of hundreds to centres in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Flin Flon. On Tuesday morning, the PBCN issued the emergency declaration due to heightened threats from the fire.
Evacuees are instructed to register at Pelican Narrows High School, where buses will begin evacuations at 1 p.m. CST. Authorities are warning against travel on Highway 135 between Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay, which remains closed, along with Highway 106 and others near Narrow Hills Provincial Park.
Among those evacuated is Timothy Ballantyne, who left his home with few belongings as flames approached. Speaking from outside the Saskatoon Inn, Ballantyne expressed distress over the devastation: “It’s so scary. My hometown is burning. There’s fire all over the place.”
Pelican Narrows is one of eight communities within the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, which spans 51,000 square kilometres in Saskatchewan’s forested north.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency reports 21 active wildfires across the province, with only five contained. Other communities under evacuation orders include Little Bear Lake, Lower Fishing Lake, and East Trout Lake. The southeast region of Prince Albert remains under a pre-alert with ongoing air quality advisories.
Swifteradio.com
