Evacuation order prompted by Cayford wildfire in Saskatchewan lifted

Residents can go back to their east-central Saskatchewan homes after a wildfire, as well as air quality and road access concerns, prompted evacuations late last week.

“The wildfire has now been deemed no longer a threat to Red Earth Cree Nation,” the post shared on behalf of the Red Earth Cree Nation Chief and Council on Tuesday said.

Returning residents can bus their way back to the community starting Wednesday, it said, adding people who drove themselves out of the town were welcome to head back the evening of the announcement.

Nearby, members of the Shoal Lake Cree Nation have also lifted their evacuation order, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) confirmed at a news conference on Wednesday.

“Everybody from Red Earth and Shoal Lake are returning home,” Bryan Chartrand, the executive director of land operations at the SPSA, said.

“We had it scanned, there are some hotspots but we’re hoping to have those dealt with.”

On Saturday afternoon, people living in Red Earth Cree Nation were instructed to evacuate, following the declaration of a state of emergency due to the blaze.

A post shared by the nation last weekend said the wildfire had spread to be approximately three kilometres from Highway 55, which would have blocked highway access to and from the community.

Evacuees were sent to Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert.