A wildfire encroached upon the northern Saskatchewan town of Beauval on Thursday night. Beauval Mayor Rick Laliberte reported that a fire approached the village from the west around 4 p.m. and another front from the north was also advancing towards the industrial side of the community.
The canteen building at the recreation grounds was confirmed destroyed by the Beauval emergency operations committee (EOC) in a Facebook post at 10 p.m. Laliberte stated on Friday morning that no residential properties had been burned down.
Although a mandatory evacuation order had been issued for Beauval due to nearby wildfires, some support staff and an emergency management team had stayed behind. Laliberte and his wife were the last evacuees to leave the village, situated approximately 350 kilometers north of Saskatoon.
Emergency operations personnel in Beauval are actively working to safeguard structures and infrastructure from the wildfire threat, Laliberte confirmed.
The neighboring hamlet of Patuanak, located just over 80 kilometers north of Beauval, declared a state of emergency and initiated airlifting operations to evacuate some residents who were stranded after a wildfire blocked the sole road access to the community.
English River First Nation officials, based in Patuanak, explained that due to the ongoing threat to power lines and uncertainty about reopening the road, the state of emergency was declared. Priority individuals, such as elders, children, and those with medical needs, are being airlifted to safety, while others who can stay put are remaining in the community.
The intensity of the situation was highlighted by Olivia McIntyre, an evacuee from Patuanak, who shared her family’s stressful experience and the emotional challenges they faced during the evacuation process.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency assured residents that the wildfires near Patuanak were not expected to advance further towards the community, emphasizing that safety measures had been carefully considered and evacuation plans coordinated with local authorities.
As the wildfires continue to pose a threat in the region, the agency issued a fire ban for areas north of the provincial forest boundary due to the heightened fire risk. The situation remains dynamic with ongoing assessment and protection efforts in place to safeguard communities and vital infrastructure from the wildfires.