A year after destructive wildfires, residents around Lac La Ronge 'more prepared' for new blazes

One year later, community members in the area are facing new fires — but one leader says they're more ready this time.

A year after destructive wildfires, residents around Lac La Ronge 'more prepared' for new blazes Lac La Ronge Indian Band says crews are fighting three active fires in the area An orange sky. Charred vehicles. Lush forests reduced to blackened tree trunks.

The photos taken last year of northern Saskatchewan communities around Lac La Ronge painted scenes of destruction as residents were forced to evacuate. One year later, community members in the area are facing new fires, but one leader says they're more ready this time. Wildfire season this year has been "busy," and residents are feeling the effects, said Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson.

"If the smoke comes in heavy, then everyone, our anxiety levels go up," she told CBC Saskatchewan's Morning Edition. However, while the fires have been "burning hot," they haven't really threatened the community this year, she said. "The winds were in our favour and we received more rain," she said.

"That helped a lot." Fire crews, air purifiers in place The community is also now "more prepared" to respond to wildfires, and fire crews have been "really exceptional" in battling the fires more aggressively, Cook-Searson said. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said in an emailed statement that it got another long-term contract for a helicopter, which is helping.

Crews are also camping along the fire line, which is more efficient, the agency said. The province has also seen "significantly lower human starts" to wildfires, the SPSA said, meaning crews can focus their efforts on blazes caused by nature. "Without having to divert resources, we are able to keep them small and extinguish them more effectively."

- Audio Wildfires have scorched nature surrounding La Ronge, but some of the damage might actually benefit some of the land - Reporter's Notebook After the firestorm: Loss and hope in Saskatchewan's scorched north More rainfall in the southern parts of the province means crews can also be diverted north to the La Ronge area, where it has been drier, the agency said. For residents, in-home air purifiers have been purchased with the help of Indigenous Services Canada, Cook-Searson said. Those have been given to elders, families with babies and people with chronic health conditions to help when heavy smoke rolls in, she said.

"We're always thinking of ways to prepare, and always the No. 1 priority is the safety of the community members." Three fires burning in territory Crews are actively fighting three blazes in the territory of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. Southwest of La Ronge, the 37-hectare Egg fire has been contained.

Firefighters have surrounded the fire with hoses and are working inwards to put it out, according to an update from the band posted to Facebook. East of Lac La Ronge, the Budd fire has not been contained and has grown to 250 hectares, according to the SPSA. Tankers, helicopters and ground crews are battling the western part of the fire, the agency said.

Further north of the lake, the Stusiak wildfire has been classified as "protecting values." The blaze now spans 320 hectares, and crews have set up sprinklers around cabins and infrastructure in the area, the agency said. A fourth fire, called Smooth, was reported on Sunday but is considered extinguished, the band said.

All four fires were started by lightning strikes, the SPSA said.