700 people stranded in northern Sask. community after wildfire blocks road
About 700 people in a small hamlet in northern Saskatchewan are stranded Friday after a wildfire knocked out the only road into their community.
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Patuanak, a hamlet about 500 kilometres north of Saskatoon and 100 kilometres north of recently evacuated Beauval, Sask., is typically only accessible by road via Highway 918.
This week the highway was cut off by a wildfire, preventing people from leaving, and blocking direct access to supplies and emergency crews.
"Essentially they are safe but they are cut off," said Candyce Paul, emergency management co-ordinator for the English River First Nation, which Patuanak is a part of. "They had lost power once as poles got burned, but SaskPower was quickly able to protect the road enough to restore the power."
Speaking from the La Plonge Reserve just outside Beauval, Paul said there isn't any immediate danger to Patuanak from wildfires or heavy smoke. The nearest wildfire, she said, was still around 60 kilometres away.
"Medical services are all up there. There's an airport up there. We have a team operating up there as well. Our emergency management team is making preparations for any scenario that comes up."
Paul said essentials like pharmaceuticals have been brought in by air, while a team of nurses was able to travel to the community by boat.
Many community members with complex medical needs were able to leave before the road was cut off, Paul said, many of them taking refute in Cold Lake, Alta.
"The ones that needed to be evacuated, they are 90 per cent out," Paul said.
On Friday morning, the English River First Nation emergency management team announced that La Plonge had been fully evacuated.
Beauval closes road
Meanwhile, the town of Beauval announced it had blocked the road into the community to prevent non-essential personnel from entering. Traffic will still be allowed to exit the community, which is now more than 75 per cent evacuated.
The town also announced that the Travelodge in Saskatoon being used as a muster point is now full. Evacuees will be assigned to new hotels.
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