Wet weather expected to help crews battle northern Saskatchewan wildfires

PRINCE ALBERT – Saskatchewan safety officials say wet weather is expected to help in the fight against wildfires in northwest Saskatchewan.

Steve Roberts from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says fire conditions have slightly improved, because of scattered rain across the province’s north.

He says firefighters from other parts of Canada, Australia and Mexico continue to fight the fires, and roughly 300 Canadian military members are helping.

Fires over the long weekend forced residents of the village of La Loche, about 600 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon — as well as 12 other communities — to leave, bringing the total number of scattered evacuees to roughly 3,000.

Officials say the fire near La Loche is 40 per cent contained and, while mitigation efforts are going well, residents can expect to be out of their homes until the western side of the fire is contained.

Saskatchewan is reporting 81 active wildfires, including 14 that are not contained.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025.