REGINA – The Fort McMurray wildfire and another blaze in northern Alberta are moving towards Saskatchewan, but have not crossed the provincial boundary as quickly as initially feared. Steve Roberts with Saskatchewan wildfire management, says the fire that has devastated Fort McMurray is 30 kilometres away and another large fire is 15 kilometres from crossing over.
Roberts says that means the fires are more than 50 kilometres from any Saskatchewan community, so there’s no imminent threat to places such as La Loche or Buffalo Narrows.
FULL COVERAGE: Fort McMurray Wildfire
The communities have been under special air-quality advisories from Environment Canada, because winds have spread smoke from Alberta into northwestern Saskatchewan.
Roberts also says that fires in parts of northern Saskatchewan last summer may help the situation this year.
He says some of those fires burned between the provincial boundary and Saskatchewan communities, leaving no fuel for the Fort McMurray fire if it moves east.
As of Monday morning, there were 17 wildfires burning in Saskatchewan, 11 of which are contained and six that are under ongoing assessment.
There have been 137 wildfires so far this year in Saskatchewan, compared to 96 at the same time last year.
With files from Global News
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