‘It’s unpredictable’: Shifting winds bring fresh wildfire threat to La Ronge, Sask.

Strong winds pushing a wildfire toward the industrial park and Eagle Point areas, just northeast of the Town of La Ronge, triggered an alert for the region on Friday morning.

The community is already subject to an evacuation order, but any people that haven’t left those particular areas were told to get to a safe place.

Tammy Cook-Searson, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, said the situation is serious and unpredictable.

“The wind has shifted. It’s coming in from the southwest right now and it’s pushing the fire northeast,” she said. 

Cook-Searson said the Pisew Fire, which began near Hall Lake, has since grown to threaten several surrounding communities. There’s been significant structure losses in both Hall Lake, west of La Ronge, and Sucker River, north of La Ronge, due to the fire.

“The fire is less than two kilometers just north of Sucker River and it’s heading northeast,” she said. “And then there’s also the fire that has reached Cambridge, where the bridge has burnt and the structure has been lost there and it’s moving northwest.”

Cook-Searson confirmed that both Highway 2 and Highway 102 are currently closed and impassable due to wildfire activity.

Any people still in La Ronge are being directed to the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre, which is serving as the local muster point.

“Right now it’s unpredictable,” Cook-Searson said. “The flames were pretty big this morning just before 5 a.m. right behind the fire base on the Industrial Road in the town of La Ronge.”

Crews focus on defence as several Prairie wildfires merge

Cook-Searson said emergency crews are working hard to hold the line.

“We are expecting rain starting at noon today,” she added. “So hopefully it materializes and fingers crossed that we do get that rain — much needed rain — because the fires are burning out of control.”

Residents are urged to stay away from the area and continue following evacuation guidance from local officials and emergency services.

Despite the hardship and danger, some evacuees have found small ways to stay hopeful.

Some drivers fleeing La Ronge earlier in the week were forced to wait for hours on the highway due to smoke and fire. 

That’s where Terri Roberts and others met up with a friend — whose granddaughter was having a birthday. They brought the cake along, and sang right there on the roadside.

‘She was holding her cake and we all started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her outside of the car,” Roberts said. “I’ve never experienced something like that, but it was pretty emotional.”

“She was just full of smiles and we could see she was quite appreciative of what we did for her.”

Roberts says they eventually made it south to safety.

How evacuee families are keeping their kids occupied

Up-to-date info on active fires, smoke and related topics is available at these sources: