‘A scary situation’: All Stanley Mission residents ordered to evacuate

By Derek Cornet

All residents of Stanley Mission have been ordered to evacuate after the McCafe fire quickly began moving towards the community last night.

The general evacuation began around 8 a.m. with registration underway at the Elders Centre across from the band hall. A partial evacuation began two days ago as those with chronic or respiratory illness, as well as young children and Elders had already been moved out.

Evacuees are heading to Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina with assistance from the Red Cross.

“The fire really moved in hot. It was unexpected. It was a scary situation,” Lac La Ronge Indian Band chief Tammy Cook-Searson said. “We let the community members know we were putting them on standby, then we met and we decided to do a general evacuation. We were fortunate the winds died down and the fire shifted away from the community.”

She explained additional sprinkler systems have been installed in the last 24 hours and the ones already set up were activated to create more humidity in Stanley Mission.

An unexpected increase in fire activity last night prompted the call the evacuate. (Tammy Cook-Searson/Submitted)

Cook-Searson noted it was “all hands on deck” last night as about 80 Type 2 firefighters and other fire crews worked to protect the community.

The band is working in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and Prince Albert Grand Council Emergency Management. As of Wednesday, the McCafe fire was 6,144 hectares, but it has since increased in size.

“We want to say thank you so much to everyone who has been helping us out, particularly (Thursday) night when it was a very scary situation with the fire moving in so quick and fast,” Cook-Searson said.

“I know our residents here in Stanley Mission were also very scared and we did the best we could to keep everyone safe. I’m grateful all the firefighters and everyone in the community did what they could to protect our community.”

As requested by band leadership, the La Ronge Regional Fire Department has sent a fire truck and crew to Stanley Mission. Grandmother’s Bay, Hall Lake and Sucker River are sending firefighters as well.

The McCafe fire remains uncontained, meaning suppression action is occurring, but the fire is expected to grow in size. Air and ground crews continue to respond to the McCafe fire, which is burning at the south end of McCaffery/Merasty Lake.