A soldier who was reported missing on the front lines of the fight against wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, Monday afternoon has been found in good condition following an extensive search.
Lt. Derek Reid, public affairs officer for Third Canadian Division, confirmed to Global News that a member of the Immediate Response Unit (West) who became separated from his unit in the vicinity of La Ronge was located around 8:30 p.m. CST.
READ MORE: Rain in northern Saskatchewan ‘not enough’ to douse wildfires
The soldier was reported missing around 2:20 p.m. earlier Monday.
“All available military personnel were involved in looking for their fellow soldier,” Reid said in an email statement. “The Canadian Army Immediate Response Unit deployed to Saskatchewan is tremendously grateful for the assistance of the Wildfire Management Centre, the RCMP, Canadian Rangers, and other agencies that assisted. We look forward to resuming fire line operations in support of the Province of Saskatchewan.”
Crews in northern Saskatchewan have been battling wildfires for several weeks, leading to the evacuations of several communities and a firefighting effort that includes 1,500 personnel, utilizing 59 military helicopters and 29 tankers.
READ MORE: Evacuees from Sask. reserve to go home, fires keeping 13,000 out assessed
Last week, 850 members of the Armed Forces arrived in Prince Albert to help with forest firefighting efforts.
Flames and thick smoke have forced about 13,000 people out of their homes in at least 50 communities over the last two weeks.
More than 80 houses and cabins have been destroyed by fire.
As of Monday there were 127 fires burning. Seven new fires were started by lighting Sunday night, bringing this year’s total number of wildfires to 621.
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