Saskatchewan RCMP provides update on operations in wildfire-affected communities
Saskatchewan RCMP officers are actively collaborating with a team of first responders to ensure the safety and security of communities as dangerous fires continue to burn in the northern part of the province.
“Saskatchewan RCMP is thinking of the many individuals in northern Saskatchewan whose homes and businesses have been destroyed by fire. We mourn alongside the affected communities, as they are our communities too,” says Supt. Devin Pugh, who is overseeing the Saskatchewan RCMP’s response to the wildfires. “We are also considering the thousands of people displaced by these fires. As you and your loved ones remain evacuated for safety, please know that Saskatchewan RCMP officers are working diligently to keep your neighborhoods secure.”
Police Presence in Evacuated Communities
Saskatchewan RCMP officers will maintain a presence in fire-affected communities until it becomes too dangerous for them to be there, as explained by Supt. Pugh. They are often the last to leave a community, alongside firefighters. Officers are patrolling and responding to calls for service in all northern Saskatchewan communities, including the La Ronge and Creighton detachment areas, which have been significantly impacted by wildfires.
“We are maintaining a strong police presence to deter anyone who might consider committing crimes and potentially worsening an already stressful situation for victims,” says S/Sgt. Shawn Carter from the Saskatchewan RCMP’s North District Management Team. Officers are regularly patrolling evacuated communities. Saskatchewan RCMP has charged two individuals in connection with thefts reported in these evacuated areas.
On June 4, the RCMP received a report of a vehicle stolen from a residence in La Ronge. The vehicle was found later that day at a checkpoint on Highway #2. Following further investigation, Waskesiu RCMP officers located and seized a laptop and a package from the vehicle. They also discovered mail that connected the recovered items to a theft reported in La Ronge on June 3. The two occupants of the vehicle, both males from La Ronge, were arrested, charged, and are currently before the courts.
Crimes and information can still be reported to 310-RCMP during the wildfires. In emergencies, always call 911. Information about crimes can also be submitted anonymously through Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Leveraging RCMP Resources Across the Province
As the provincial police service, Saskatchewan RCMP can mobilize additional and specialized resources from across the province during emergencies. In this case, officers from the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Tactical Support Group and Traffic Services were quickly deployed to help in the fire-affected detachment areas.
Supt. Pugh also noted that approximately 29 officers originally scheduled to assist at the upcoming G7 meeting have been redirected to aid in our province during this crisis. Saskatchewan RCMP’s Divisional Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) has been activated to coordinate the response to the wildfires. This group consists of police officers and employees representing different units and sections of the Saskatchewan RCMP, working together to ensure that frontline personnel have everything they need.
Given the utility and infrastructure outages currently occurring in northern Saskatchewan, DEOC has worked to ensure that generators are in place and that satellite phones and Starlink internet systems are supplied to detachments so they can continue to serve their communities. They are also responsible for ensuring that extra police officers are deployed where needed and for managing all the logistics of their travel.
DEOC is also focused on supporting the spouses and children of officers remaining on the frontlines as they evacuate alongside other community members. Additionally, DEOC collaborates closely with public safety partners to coordinate the overall response to the fires, as part of the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, which unites agencies, organizations, and provincial ministries for effective emergency response.
Teamwork on the Frontlines of the Fires
“Saskatchewan RCMP is just one component of the extensive response to the fires,” explains S/Sgt. Carter. “Every day, our frontline RCMP officers are working alongside personnel from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the Provincial Protective Services Branch, the Saskatchewan Marshals Service, local firefighters, community safety officers, and others. Please be assured that we are working tirelessly and in coordination to do everything we can for your communities.”
For example, on June 6, officers were conducting proactive patrols in the La Ronge detachment area when they noticed a flare-up near the town’s industrial area around 4:15 a.m. “They knocked on my door and alerted me to a fire that was coming up from behind my house, as I live nearby,” a resident shared.