Sask. Working With Ontario to Plan How Evacuees from Ontario Wildfire will Return Home

A reduction in fire behaviour in Northern Ontario is stopping the evacuation process into Regina.

The Queen City is currently housing 420 wildfire evacuees from Pikangikum, with most people staying at the U of R.

Reports have said there have been some incidents at the university with some minimal damage to the property.

Duane McKay with Saskatchewan Public Safety says some fighting between people is normal because of the stress and close proximity .

McKay says the damage is mainly just to carpets and bedding, adding all damages will be repaired and covered by Ontario and Indigenous Services.
McKay says they are now working with Ontario to plan how the evacuees will be getting home, which could start within the next few days.
“We have to wait and see how Ontario wants to move those, how the Chief wants to move which people back first,” he said.
In the meantime, Deanna Valentine with Emergency Social Services says they still have all the resources needed and lots of support from the Ontario community.

“They have been amazing at sending resources from their community to help their residents here. We’ve got support folks from the Independent First Nations Alliance…as well as lots of different agencies from the province and from Regina.” Valentine said.

(CKRM)

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