Aboriginals train volunteers to fight Sask. fires

CBC News

An aboriginal organization in northern Saskatchewan is training volunteer firefighters to battle the blazes threatening nine communities.

About 100 firefighters from the Northwest Territories, New Brunswick and Ontario are working in the province, and the United States has been asked for help.

But resources are stretched because British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba are also dealing with serious fires.

So the Prince Albert Grand Council, which represents 12 bands, is providing instructors who are training some community members to fight fires with Saskatchewan Environment, said the council's Richard Kent.

"Basically people are dropping in all the time and asking to be trained. If they are qualified to be trained, we are allowing them to get into the sessions," he said.   The volunteers learn about safety orientation, basic firefighting and aviation safety training because helicopters are often used in firefighting. After two to three days, a firefighter is ready for the line.

1,900 evacuated

More than 1,900 people have been evacuated from five communities north of La Ronge, and from campgrounds and cottages.

Local states of emergency have been declared in English Bay, Wadin Bay, Sucker River, Stanley Mission and  Grandmother's Bay.

The 1,900 evacuees are registered at a centre in La Ronge.  About 800 people are staying in residences at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

Saskatchewan officials said there are 109 fires in the province.

"The biggest challenges we have is extreme burning conditions due to the dry, windy conditions we have," Steve Roberts of Saskatchewan Environment told CBC News on Tuesday. "We don't see a reprieve in the near future."

With files from Canadian Press