Smoke hampers evacuation from fly-in town in Canada

Wollaston Lake fire
Wollaston Lake fire
Wollaston Lake fire. Photo: MetroNews.ca

Residents in the northern Saskatchewan town of Wollaston Lake would like to evacuate because a wildfire is burning nearby, but:

  1. There is no permanent road access;
  2. Smoke from the fire is grounding aircraft trying to fly in and out of the small airport;
  3. A lake where a ferry runs in the summer still has ice on it.

Here is an excerpt from at article at MetroNews.ca:

Smoke and shifting winds hampered efforts to evacuate a northern Saskatchewan fly-in community where a forest fire burned at the edge of town.

The smoke briefly cleared at Wollaston Lake airport Wednesday, allowing 200 people to be flown out of the remote community, about 840 kilometres north of Saskatoon. But at least 1,000 other residents remained hunkered down in two local schools.

The five-square-kilometre fire was burning next to the airport and winds were blowing smoke across the runway, shutting down access to the facility.

“The airport is in-and-out of service on a minute-by-minute basis and the road that was leading to the airport obviously is in jeopardy and is closed — temporarily we hope — because of smoke conditions or danger in that particular area,” said Saskatchewan fire commissioner Duane McKay.

McKay said officials are “investigating other options” to move people. But options are limited.

There’s no permanent road access to Wollaston and the lake, where a ferry runs in the summer, still has ice on it. McKay said officials are looking at using boats to move people across a small nearby bay, if it’s free of ice, or using helicopters. Calls for helicopter help have been made to Alberta and Manitoba, he said.

“It is our priority to move these people out as quickly as possible,” said McKay.

“While we would like that airport to open and we’d like to get these people out that way, it’s the simplest way, we are looking at other options to continue to accomplish the task that we’ve set out to do.”

There are about 30 homes in the hamlet along with 193 houses on the Wollaston Lake and Hatchet Lake reserves.

Fifteen aircraft lifted out about 240 people Tuesday from the hamlet and a nearby reserve. They were taken to shelters in Prince Albert

[…]

Residents have voiced concern about the ability to get out. Rescue co-ordinator Anne Robillard, who lives in Wollaston Lake, said flames were getting close.

“The wind’s shifting our way … and it’s going to go directly to us,” she said.

Robillardaid she was trying to remain calm even though she could see the fire advancing.

“Personally, I’m taking responsibility, so I’m not on the panicky side yet. I have to say that because I see the flames so close.”

Check out this satellite photo, and you’ll get an idea why roads are not very feasible in the vicinity of Wollaston Lake.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.