Forest fire north of Prince Albert forces 50 to 60 residents to flee
Forest fire north of Prince Albert forces 50 to 60 residents to flee
17 May 2010
published by www.winnipegfreepress.com
Canada — Fifty to 60 people had to leave their homes due a forest fire burning north of Prince Albert, Sask.
Three fire departments Buckland, Shellbrook and Prince Albert were helping Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment battle the blaze in the hamlet of Redwing, about 10 kilometres north of Prince Albert.
Aircraft were dropping water and bright red fire retardant onto the burning ground.
The fire is believed to have started around 1 p.m. Monday in the Nisbet Forest.
Alex Paul, battalion chief with Prince Albert fire department, says there are a lot of homes in the line of the fire.
He says there’s no water supply in those areas because there are no hydrants.
Residents evacuated from their homes live on the east side of Lempereur Road in the community of Redwing.
Paul Fortier and his wife Estelle, residents of the area for 23 years, sat in their car and watched the thick, grey clouds of smoke billowing high in the sky.
“They told us not to go (closer), so we didn’t,” Paul said.
The couple’s home was among those in the path of the fire, but they stayed optimistic.
“As long as there are no people (there), a house and everything can be replaced,” he said.
It’s not known how the fire started.
