SPSA readies itself for new wildfire season

They have also looked at a fire guard around parts of the community and will be completed as contract work.

The beginnings of a new shelterbelt, which is needed for wind and snow mitigation, is on the way.

“We have 6,500 seedlings that will arrive this week as part of a reforestation shelter belt program. Volunteers are working with community members from a number of non-governmental services helping people respond and build in the community,” Roberts said.

Some replacement homes have been put into the town already, and other residents are living in temporary homes while they wait for their replacement homes to arrive this spring.

Looking forward to 2026, the SPSA said that a high snow volume will help with fire prevention in the spring, but that only lasts until the snow melts.

“We are currently assessing snowpack, runoff and other environmental conditions on an ongoing basis. That includes the recent event that brought over a foot of snow to the Prince Albert area,” Roberts said.

Northern Saskatchewan has a lot of moisture, but southern parts do not.

SPSA and Water Security Agency staff are together assessing the risk of flooding in some areas or the possibility of ice jams when the river ice breaks.

“At this time, neither are anticipated based on current conditions, but the agency is prepared to assist communities if needed.”

The benefit of a high amount of snow on the ground do not last the whole summer and Roberts said that should there be extended periods of heat, wind and no rain, the risk of wildfire goes up accordingly.

The government agency reviewed its response to last year’s almost record wildfire season and said a full report is coming but not complete yet.

“Since last fall, our focus has been on prevention, planning, and proactive response measures. preventative work began in winter and continues today. We are focusing on reducing fuel in the province forest near high-risk communities through forest thinning, fire guard construction, and vegetation maintenance.”

21 fire smart projects were completed over the winter in high-risk communities and they began hiring response personnel one month earlier than normal.

“Type 1 wildland firefighters, pilots, and other response staff are in training as we speak to perform initial attack and sustained action on wildfires.”

Last year, 500 wildfires burned three million acres and 50 communities were evacuated. Many homes were burned as were several businesses and other things like sheds and vehicles.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

SPSA readies itself for new wildfire season

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