STANLEY MISSION, Sask. – Crews battling a forest fire in northern Saskatchewan may get help from Mother Nature and backburns in controlling the blaze.
Fire crews have been holding the 4,900-hectare forest fire that is burning out of control 10 kilometre from Stanley Mission and three km from the lone access road to the community.
Backburns were carried out Sunday and continued into Monday on sections of the forest ahead of the fire in an attempt to stop it from moving into the community.
Rain is also forecast for the area which could help crews contain the threat.
Steve Roberts, the executive director of wildfire management in Saskatchewan, said controlling the fuel for fire, combined with the rain, means people may soon be able to return home.
More than 900 people were evacuated over the weekend to Saskatoon, Prince Albert and La Ronge.
The fire started last Wednesday and a band of hot, dry weather and shifting winds caused it to spread.
There were seven wild fires burning in Saskatchewan on Monday morning, three that were not yet contained.
To date, there have been 132 wildfires in the province this year, three less than at the same time last year.
With files from The Canadian Press
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