The Moosomin and Saulteaux First Nations are still engaged in combatting wildfires.

Efforts to suppress wildfires are ongoing in the Saulteaux and Moosomin First Nations. As of Friday morning, according to Sheldon Fox, the communications co-ordinator of the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs (BATC), the fires have been contained in the Saulteaux First Nation and no homes have been lost. However, Fox also mentioned that the wildfires have reignited in the Moosomin area.

“The fire have been reignited that were put out,” he said. “So, the efforts there are still ongoing.”

there were no houses lost in Moosomin, Fox added.

Nevertheless, he further stated that the firefighters and volunteers are encountering difficulties in their attempts to extinguish the fires.

“Suppression efforts are troubled right now,” Fox said. “They are hindered with traffic going in, pedestrians entering, just to go take photos for social media. But without them there, it’s been pretty good.”

He is urging individuals to avoid the Saulteaux-Moosomin region and permit the firefighters to focus on their work to combat the ongoing fires.

“We’re asking people not to come by. We don’t want people going there unless you live there.”

The Fire Update Page on Facebook of BATC has reported that evacuation efforts have been initiated due to the close proximity of the fire. The organization has also conveyed that Elders residing near the fires were relocated to North Battleford.

To aid the suppression efforts, two water planes were deployed on Thursday to douse the Saulteaux fires, and robust equipment was utilized to establish a defensive line around the fires. The North Battleford Fire Department, Meota Fire and District Fire Department, and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency were among the agencies that provided assistance.

On Friday, residents of the Saulteaux community were informed that a ‘Do Not Consume Water’ advisory is now in effect. The water treatment plant for the Saulteaux Community Water Distribution System has been compelled to halt the treatment procedure to ensure sufficient water supply for firefighting operations, resulting in the need to maintain an adequate quantity of water in the reservoir. Therefore, individuals are advised not to consume the water until they receive further notice.