Saskatchewan enters heart of wildfire season just weeks into spring

The snow only melted just days ago in parts of Saskatchewan, but already crews are busy battling fires across the province.

Louis Cherpin began his firefighting journey in 1994. Now, 30 years later, he is the president of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association.

“When I was younger, I really appreciated the fact that (firefighting) was part of rural Saskatchewan, and I felt that I needed to give back,” Cherpin said when asked why he got into the business.

Over the past three decades, Cherpin has seen the land become increasingly drier amid warmer conditions.

With those dry conditions, more fires have erupted across the province.

“Prairie fires, grassland and wildland fires have definitely increased,” he said. “Back when I first started, firefighters used to be out for about two or three hours (fighting flames). Now, they are out five to six hours.

“The time being out there is longer, and the fires are burning hotter and faster.”

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), a total of 83 fires have already occurred as of Monday. The number is nearly four times the five-year average. Five of those fires are currently active as of Monday afternoon.

The 2023 wildfire season was one of the worst in nearly two decades with close to 500 fires.

Balgonie fire Chief Doug Lapchuck said nearly half of Saskatchewan wildfires are caused by human activity.

“From simply flicking a cigarette out the window, or thinking that it’s a calm day and you can light a burning barrel or burn that pile of flax … the wind can change, and it can pick up and it can move very fast,” Lapchuck said.

According to the province’s fire ban map, many areas across western central Saskatchewan are under fire bans. On Sunday, two fires broke out in 24 hours at the Piapot First Nation.

SPSA president Marlo Pritchard said residents have an important role to play in reducing the number of fires in the province.

“There are simple and not expensive tasks like pulling dead trees and keeping your yard free of debris, especially material that are easily combustible, like leaves,” he said.

As for Cherpin, he is hoping Mother Nature is on their side sooner rather than later.

“If you can call for rain, that would be fantastic,” he said. “Rain and moisture help everything. But realistically, being prepared and ready for whatever is going to happen (is the best thing you can do).”