REGINA — Saskatchewan emergency officials say widespread flooding caused by recent heavy rainfall is affecting communities across the province, even as crews continue responding to dozens of active wildfires.
During a media briefing Thursday, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said 62 wildfires were active across Saskatchewan as of 12:30 p.m., while localized flooding has prompted 13 communities to declare local states of emergency.
Of the active wildfires, four are contained, eight are not contained, 38 remain under assessment and 12 are classified as protecting values, said SPSA.
The six fires of note include:
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Border Fire near Mary Lake — nine hectares, protecting values.
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Church Fire northeast of Sandy Bay — 12 hectares, contained.
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Gulak Fire east of Southend — 309 hectares, not contained.
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Costigan Fire southeast of Key Lake Mine — 4,000 hectares, protecting values.
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Red Fire south of Wallis Lake — 1,393 hectares, not contained.
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Kurs Lake Fire northeast of Wallis Lake — 4,500 hectares, not contained.
The SPSA said it is working with communities affected by flooding by providing pumps, hoses, sandbags and emergency management support.
The 13 communities with local emergency declarations are the towns of Kamsack, Raymore and Norquay; the Rural Municipalities of Meadow Lake No. 588, Sliding Hills No. 273, Wolverine No. 340, Insinger No. 275, St. Philips No. 301, Livingston No. 331 and Cote No. 271; the villages of Sheho and Togo; and Cote First Nation.
SPSA said nine priority-one residents from Cote First Nation have also been evacuated because flooding affected access to their homes.
"These individuals are being supported by the community and the Red Cross," SPSA said.
Tyler Harrison, manager of emergency services with the SPSA, said priority-one, or P1, individuals include seniors, children under five and people with medical needs, making them the first priority during an evacuation.
He said the residents were evacuated because emergency responders could have difficulty reaching them if medical assistance was required.
Harrison said the SPSA's support extends beyond supplying equipment.
"In addition to the equipment that's being sent out, we do have staff on the ground assisting communities with the process of working their way through an emergency, whether it's through the declaration of local emergency, as well as navigating the system."
He said emergency personnel will remain in affected communities for as long as necessary.
"That'll vary from place to place depending on how fast the water recedes, but we are prepared to be there as long as it needs to be."
The Water Security Agency said localized flooding has been driven by intense rainfall on already saturated soils.
Leah Clark, executive director of irrigation and economic development, said some areas received between 100 and more than 275 millimetres of rain between June 23 and early this week.
Clark said the forecast called for communities including Regina, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Saskatoon and Estevan to have a 60 to 90 per cent chance of rain and thunderstorms Thursday, with precipitation expected to ease Friday before high pressure brings a break from the rain over the weekend.
"These localized flood events are very difficult to predict and manage, and they're driven by intense storm systems which drop a lot of water in a short period," Clark said.
She said the agency continues working with municipalities to monitor drinking water and wastewater systems that could be affected by flooding.
Clark said some communities have implemented measures such as boil-water advisories, but no drinking water systems have been compromised.
Patrick Bole, executive director of communications and client services with the Water Security Agency, said the province is not expecting flooding on the major river systems at this time, despite recent rainfall in Alberta.
The Ministry of Highways said its crews are working to restore travel as quickly and safely as possible.
As of Thursday morning, the Ministry of Highways reported there were:
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17 highway closures related to flooding.
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18 reports of water on driving lanes.
Most impacts are concentrated in east-central Saskatchewan.
Dan Palmer, senior communications consultant with the ministry, said temporary repairs are often required before engineers determine what permanent repairs will be needed later this season.
"It'll be gravel and aggregate and other materials to restore service as quickly as possible," Palmer said.
Later in the season, engineers will assess permanent repairs and determine whether improvements can reduce the risk of future washouts.
Palmer said flood damage varies widely across the province.
He urged motorists to obey all traffic controls and check the Highway Hotline before travelling because conditions continue to change rapidly.
The SPSA encouraged residents to continue monitoring conditions through its interactive emergency map, SaskAlert and the Highway Hotline as flood and wildfire conditions continue to evolve.
