Financial assistance for Sask. wildfire evacuees doubling, officials say in latest update

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency announced on Saturday that financial assistance for wildfire evacuees in the province is being increased. This comes as good news for those who have been forced to leave their homes due to the ongoing wildfires in northern Saskatchewan.

During a news conference, Bryan Chartrand, the agency’s executive director of land operations, reported that there have been no new human starts to the fires in the region. He also mentioned that many of the large fires have not grown further as they have reached lakes, slowing their growth. With the cooler temperatures and changing wind conditions, the growth of the fires has been significantly slowed down.

Marlo Pritchard, the agency’s president and fire commissioner, added that verification teams will be deployed to identify properties that were lost due to the wildfires. Currently, approximately 400 values have been reported lost. The fire bans across the province will remain in effect, despite light showers and rain forecasted in some areas.

So far this year, there have been 251 wildfires in Saskatchewan, well above the five-year average for this date. Thirty-six communities have been evacuated due to the wildfires, with evacuations in effect for areas near Lower Fishing Lake, Missinipe, La Ronge, Pelican Narrows, Creighton, and Weyakwin. A voluntary evacuation notice has also been issued for the Candle Lake area.

In response to the increasing financial needs of evacuees, the province announced that the daily amount provided to the head of each household will be increased to $40 per day, from $20. Additional members of a household will now receive $20 per day, up from $10, with a new daily maximum of $200 per day for evacuees.

However, some evacuees have expressed frustration with the financial assistance program, citing difficulties and confusion in accessing the aid. Linda Cowan, who evacuated from Air Ronge, shared her challenges with the program, highlighting the need for more streamlined and effective support for evacuees.

The Saskatchewan NDP has called for the government to follow the lead of Alberta and Manitoba in providing more financial assistance to evacuees, including e-transfers. They emphasized the importance of supporting all evacuees, regardless of where they have been displaced to.

As the wildfires continue to pose a threat to communities in Saskatchewan, the government is working to provide necessary support and assistance to evacuees. With the increase in financial aid and ongoing monitoring of the situation, efforts are being made to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by the wildfires.