Residents of Weyakwin were told to evacuate Wednesday night. (Conrad Naytowhow/Facebook)

By paNOW Staff

Emergency crisis

Evacuation issued for Weyakwin, PAGC issues State of Emergency amid wildfires

May 28, 2025 | 8:32 PM

In a somewhat confusing SaskAlert issued Wednesday evening, notice was given that the northern Hamlet of Weyakwin is being evacuated.

The community is being threatened by the Ditch02 fire, a human-caused blaze that started May 25 along Highway 2 near the community, which is located about 150 kilometres north of Prince Albert. The alert said the wildfire is moving fast and individuals were to evacuate immediately.

While the alert was issued for Weyakwin, the map on the SaskAlert app initially displayed the City of Prince Albert as the affected area. About half an hour after the initial alert, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued a correction.

An ominous view of the Weyakwin area shared on social media Wednesday. (Facebook)

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Individuals are being asked to go to the community hall to register, whether they are able to self-evacuate or require transportation.

State of Emergency

In response to the rapidly escalating wildfire threat across northern Saskatchewan, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB), Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), and Montreal Lake Cree Nation (MLCN) have declared a Joint State of Emergency.

Wednesday night’s statement comes are roughly 5,500 people have been or will be evacuated from communities like Pelican Narrows, Denare Beach, Hall Lake, Southend, and Montreal Lake as a result of growing wildfires.

“We’ve done everything we can locally—evacuations, back burns, safety planning—but the situation is beyond what we can handle alone. This joint declaration is about making sure our communities get the support they urgently need,” said Chief Tammy Cook-Searson of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, via news release.

Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte of the Prince Albert Grand Council said they are “urgently” calling on both Premier Scott Moe and Prime Minister Mark Carney for immediate action and implementation of emergency accommodations.

“This is the time for real partnership and immediate action,” he said.

The PAGC specifically calls for: deployment of additional firefighters, including Type 3 personnel, water bombers and air support, fair and equitable distribution of emergency resources to First Nations communities and direct meetings with Premier Scott Moe, federal ministers and MPs.

“First Nations lives matter,” said Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

“We stand in full support of this joint declaration and demand a just and immediate response.”

Accoding to the release, due to the intensity of the fires, some communities are cut off from evacuation routes including Hanson Lake Road and HWY 2. As a result, people have had to find alternative methods of escape including boat, and helicopter in isolated areas like Morning Lake and Brabant Lake.

“The situation is changing by the hour. With wildfires forcing full evacuations in Denare Beach and Pelican Narrows—and thousands more at risk—we are facing an escalating crisis,” Chief Peter A. Beatty of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation read in part.

Chief Joyce McLeod-Naytowhow of Montreal Lake Cree Nation said the situation was growing worse by the hour.

“We’re seeing the toll this is taking—on our families, on our health, and on our homelands. This joint declaration reflects our urgency and our unity. We are asking for timely and coordinated action so that our Nations can continue to protect our people with the full backing and partnership of government.”

NDP leader Carla Beck, Athabasca MLA Leroy Laliberte and Cumberland MLA Jordan McPhail also issued a joint statement Wednesday calling on the Premier and Minister of Public Safety to immediately declare a province-wide state of emergency and ‘commit to daily public briefings to ensure all essential — potentially lifesaving — information reaches people impacted by this wildfire crisis in Saskatchewan’s North.’

The statement went on to say, “Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, in response to wildfires in that province, has already ordered a provincewide state of emergency and received assurances of emergency military aid from Ottawa. Premier Scott Moe and the Sask. Party government must immediately do the same.”

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