Many homes were destroyed in East Trout Lake as the massive Shoe fire merged with the Camp fire, which has charred an area of 256,171 hectares so far. (SaskLakes.ca/Facebook)

By CKOM News

Wildfire response

Premier Scott Moe, SPSA to share update on Sask. wildfires

May 29, 2025 | 10:21 AM

Saskatchewan’s premier is planning to share an update on wildfires in the province on Thursday afternoon.

According to the public safety agency, there are currently 17 wildfires burning in the province. Saskatchewan has seen 206 wildfires so far this year, which is 61 more than the same date in 2024 and well ahead of the five-year average of 125.

A total of 15 communities around the province are under evacuation orders, and the vast majority of the proivince was rated as an “extreme” fire risk, according to the agency’s website.

Three Saskatchewan First Nations – the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and Montreal Lake Cree Nation – also declared a joint state of emergency in response to wildfires, citing “critical shortages” in firefighting resources, personnel and air support.

According to a joint release by the three First Nations, communities including Pelican Narrows, South End and Denare Beach are under threat from wildfires, with evacuation orders expected. Wildfires threatening the communities have grown to more than 75,000 hecatres in size, and continue to spread due to dry conditions and changing winds.

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Carla Beck, leader of the Saskatchewan NDP, has called on Moe to follow the lead of Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and declare a state of emergency in the province order to receive emergency military aid from Ottawa.

“We’re calling on Premier Scott Moe and the 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,” Beck said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“Every available resource in our province and our country must be deployed to fight these fires — the safety of our families and the future of our communities are at stake.”

–with files from The Canadian Press