Community of Sandy Bay evacuated after more than a month of fighting nearby wildfire: SPSA

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says it has spent more than a month fighting a fire near the community of Sandy Bay.

It said in a statement that the agency is putting all possible resources toward suppressing the fire.

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The statement comes a day after Sandy Bay was ordered evacuated and officials with the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation accused the agency of refusing to hire hundreds of qualified First Nations firefighters due to a lack of proper equipment.

An emergency response manager for the First Nation says 300 people have fled the community, with hundreds more expected to leave in the coming days.