SASKATOON – Extreme. That’s the current fire hazard for most of Saskatchewan.
This is causing a number of fire bans in the province.
The province has issued a fire ban for all of northern Saskatchewan, including all provincial parks and recreation sites. The province has also revoked all burn notification numbers and fireworks are prohibited.
Provincial parks under fire ban:
- Candle Lake
- Great Blue Heron
- Lac La Ronge
- Meadow Lake
- Makwa Lake
- Narrow Hills
- Athabasca Sand Dunes
- Clarence-Steepbank Lakes
- Clearwater River
- Cumberland House
- Wildcat Hills
Bronson Forest and Chitek Lake recreation sites are also covered by the ban.
Fires are also banned at Canwood, Fort a la Corne, Nisbet, Northern, Porcupine, and Torch River provincial forests.
The ban does not include self-contained heating devices, pressurized stoves or charcoal briquettes used in a Environment Ministry approved fireboxes used for cooking and heating.
Corman Park issued a full fire ban on Friday for the rural municipality due to the very dry conditions. The ban is effective immediately and does not allow for any open flame fires until the ban is lifted.
In North Battleford, a ban on open-air burning is also in place for both the city and the rural municipality. Officials there say the ban does not affect the use of approved, legal fire pits, but caution is urged.
The town of Meadow Lake is also under a burning ban, with all burn permits suspended until further notice. The ban includes fire pits, burning barrels and fireworks.
READ MORE: Fire restrictions enacted in bone-dry northwestern Alberta
As of Friday morning, there were 23 wildfires in the province. Five of those have not been contained and are expected to grow in size, with five more currently being assessed.
To date, there have been 185 wildfires in the province. At this time last year, there had been 106.
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