Saskatchewan community evacuated due to wildfire

By The Canadian Press  August 17, 2017  

Aug. 17, 2017, Kinoosao, Sask. - A small isolated community in northern Saskatchewan has been evacuated due to a forest fire.

Steve Roberts of Saskatchewan Environment says the fire was within three kilometres of Kinoosao, which is on the east side of Reindeer Lake near the Manitoba boundary.

Because the blaze started in Manitoba, Roberts says crews from that province are fighting it.

Kinoosao has about 60 people and the closest town is Lynn Lake, Man., which is 95 kilometres to the east.

Roberts says there’s another forest fire about 15 kilometres from Fond du Lac, but it’s moving away from the community. He says that fire is expected to produce significant smoke over the next couple of days.

Smoke from the Northwest Territories is also expected to move into the area over the next few days.

There are two fires burning near Pelican Narrows, but both are more than 20 kilometres away from the community.

Roberts says those fires are expected to produce localized smoke and the Ministry of Health has been working with those communities to deal with people who may have respiratory issues.