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Hot weather and very little moisture have combined to create a growing concern for communities about wildfires.
The Rural Municipality of Vanscoy has issued a complete fire ban starting Tuesday at 12:01 a.m.
Leonard Junop, the reeve of the RM located southwest of Saskatoon, said the council made the decision to put the ban on after seeing such dry conditions.
“The grass has dried up so bad that there is no green left in it,” said Junop. “(There’s) just pure brown, dry grass, and the thing is now that the crop is starting to ripen now too.”
Saskatchewan has received little moisture since a heat wave scorched the province with temperatures in the 30s C last week. Environment Canada has predicted a low chance of rain for Tuesday, but high temperatures are expected to persist throughout the week.
“We haven’t had a fire yet, but we are just trying to do what we can from preventing it,” said Junop.
There have been 370 wildfires in Saskatchewan so far this year, which is above the five-year average of 309 for this time of year.
As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, there were 57 active fires in the province. Five were contained, 35 were under ongoing assessment, 11 were protecting property, and six were not contained.
The eastern side of the RM of Vanscoy is full of acreages and farmyards. Junop said if a fire started in that area, it could affect people’s lives and properties.
The RM collaborates with the Asquith Fire Department and the Delisle Fire Department; all are seeing dry conditions.
980 CJME reached out to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency about the wildfire season in the province. The agency is planning to hold a media conference on the subject Tuesday at 11 a.m.