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After nearly a month of being displaced by wildfire, residents of Beauval are finally heading home.
The northern Saskatchewan village lifted its evacuation order this week, nearly 30 days after wildfire forced hundreds of people to flee. Mayor Rick Laliberte said the decision to leave was made quickly, but proved to be life-saving.
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“The fire came into our community, and we knew we made the right decision at that time,” Laliberte said.
“It was just perfect timing to get people out, and the firefighters here saved our community. It was a beast of a fire.”
The Dore Lake fire travelled 20 km in one day and reached the edge of Beauval. Flames breached the community boundary in multiple areas, but structural firefighters from southern Saskatchewan managed to stop the fire from destroying homes or businesses.
Smoke and fire rise behind homes in Beauval as the wildfire reaches the edge of the community. (Via Melfort Fire & Rescue/Facebook)
While no primary residencies were lost, Laliberte said the fire still caused damage. A sports concession stand burned down, along with several cabins, vehicles, ATVs and outbuildings.
Now that the immediate threat has passed, the focus turns to recovery. Evacuees who self-evacuated are returning by vehicle, while others are expected to return Wednesday via bus arranged by the province. A $500 grocery stipend, similar to what was offered to evacuees from La Ronge and Creighton, is also being extended to Beauval residents to help restock fridges and pantries.
But Laliberte warns the community won’t feel normal right away.
“Beauval is a Firebase, we have firefighters here from all over the world, Australians, Mexicans. The Army has moved here. It’s just a beehive of activity,” he said. “Our gymnasiums, our schools, our sports facilities are all commandeered by the SPSA and the fire base.”
Heavy wildfire smoke blankets a residential road in Beauval as fire crews move in. (Via Melfort Fire & Rescue/Facebook)
Laliberte said the danger hasn’t completely passed. Charred trees are unstable, and many are at risk of falling, potentially onto power lines or roads. Residents are being urged to stay alert.
Laliberte said the experience has highlighted the need for more wildfire resources in northern communities. He’s calling for equipment, sprinkler systems and even the creation of a national “boreal rangers” response team to support forested regions from coast to coast.
“Before your backyard starts burning, let’s knock it down,” he said.
He adds that training northern residents in helicopter operation and nighttime firefighting could improve local emergency response.
For now, the mayor said he’s just grateful.
“We just got to say thank you. And those prayers saved our community. And that rain, as little as it was, it calmed the fire,” he said.
“So pray for rain. That’s what we need. We’ve got to get out of the drought situation.”
Residents eager to get back home
After nearly a month away from home, Beauval residents staying in hotel rooms in Saskatoon said htye were thrilled to be packing up and getting ready to return to their homes.
“I’m excited to go home and see my mom and my dogs,” said Tyrese Lafleur.
Lafleur said her parents stayed in Beauval because her mom is a nurse and her dad was helping with security in the community.
Over the past month, while hunkered down in her hotel room, Lafleur said she was wondering what would come next and admitted that there were some pretty scary moments.
“I was almost crying there a couple times, but we didn’t burn,” she said. “At least I’m safe from the fires. I’m happy to be going home.”
Maya Corrigal also had her bags packed on Wednesday, and was getting ready to drive to Beauval. She said she expects to see a lot of fire damage to the areas around the community when she gets home.
“I’m excited to go home. I’ve been here for too long,” Corrigal said.
Although most people from Beauval will be returning home on Wednesday, others will be staying at the hotel for an extra week. That’s because the air quality in the area is still low, which could create a health risk for those with breathing issues or other health conditions.
–with files from 650 CKOM’s Shane Clausing
