Fires closing in on 2 more communities

Smoke from a forest fire has prompted officials to order elderly and ill people to leave their homes in two more communities in northern Saskatchewan.

About110 residents leftthe 700-member community of Beauvaland the tiny nearby reserve of La Plonge by Wednesday evening because of smoke from an out-of-control fire. Both communitiesareunder a state of emergency.

About 2,000 people have been forced to leave their homes inEnglish Bay, Wadin Bay, Sucker River, Stanley Mission, Grandmother's Bay and Nemeiben Lake as121 firesburn acrossthe province's north.

Thirteen new fires broke out Thursday.

Most of the displaced residents are staying in Saskatoon. Others have gone to stay with family in Alberta and Manitoba.

Barbara George, a resident ofLa Plonge, said the mood on thereserveis tense, with the people left behind worried they may have to leave next.

"They are very frightened and they want to be gone," she said. "We do have a few people who don't want to go anywhere and want to stay in their homes."

'I have my family with me'

Beauval resident Margaret Morin, who suffers from angina, said she will stay in Lloydminster until the fire hazard passes.

"I was in hospital for the last five days and I just got home," she said. "And I got a call this morning that I have to be evacuated because of my health problem. So I was kind of disappointed. But I have my family with me, so it's good."

The fire is believed to be about six kilometres from La Plonge and about 10 kilometres from Beauval. Residents were asked to register with officials before leaving.

Highway 102, the road leading to many of the threatened communities north of the town of La Ronge, remains closed. Highway 919, north of MeadowLake, isalso closed because smoke is reducing visibility.

Fire officials are asking members of the public not to travel north of La Ronge, a community of 3,500. Officials had been letting people through if they said they were going beyond the fire zone, butofficials say it is no longer a good idea.

"We're asking for the public's co-operation in this difficult situation," Colin King, spokesperson for Saskatchewan's Emergency Management Organization, said Thursday.

"Those attempting to travel north of La Ronge will be turned back. People living or staying in the Churchill River Region north of La Ronge, including the communities and resort areas of Neimeiben Lake, English Bay, Wadin Bay, Grandmother's Bay, Sucker River, Stanley Mission, and Missinipe are asked to remain where you are until further advised."

King said people can stay informed of fire developments by listening to radio stations and reading community notices.

National plan needed, says Premier

Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert said it's time for the federal government to develop a national fire protection plan.

"Much of Canada shares forest and there could be a role for the national government to invest in some strategic infrastructure," he said. "There may well be a response for the federal government to provide better infrastructure for all Canadian jurisdictions. We each will, in various years, have better or worse forest fire seasons."

Calvert said the federal and provincial governments areresponsible for protecting the property of Canadians.

More than 800 firefighters, with the help of about two dozen aircraft, aretrying to contain the forest firescovering more than580,000 hectares in the province.

Saskatchewan fire officials say they are training new recruits as quickly as they can, but they believe the weather, not firefighting efforts, will be most effective in slowing down and putting out the fires.

Environment Canada is predicting cooler temperatures on the weekend with rain sometime next week.