Northern Saskatchewan fire zone evacuees arriving in Regina

About sixteen hundred evacuees weretaking shelter in Reginalate Tuesday, after wildfires in northern Saskatchewan forced them from their homes.

Across the province,4,000 were expected to beregistered with Red Cross byTuesday night.

Earlier Tuesday evening, Red Cross had set up 800 morebeds in Regina, expanding its overall capacity in the cityto 1,600, said executive director Cindy Fuchs.

The group opened rinks 4 and 5 at the Credit Union EventPlex to make moreroom.

"This is probably the largest we have dealt with and the most complex. From over 12 communities, from a variety ofplaces right across the northern part of the province, so it's not just one community," Fuchssaid.

Most of the displaced personsare coming from Laloche via Buffalo Narrows, she said.

"It depends on the weather. But we are living it day by day, hour by hour," she said.

Kathy Lavaleearrived from La Ronge with her two sons and the three arestayingat the Credit Union EventPlex at Evraz Place.

She said the seven-hour drive was a harrowing one through certain highways up north.

"It seemed like it was so unreal. It was, the smoke was just so heavy and you could see fire spotson either side of the highway," she said.

Lavalee saidthe heavy smoke was unbearable back home.

"The smoke was very thick and it had dropped a lot, it was very heavy. It was making it very hard to breathe.First time in my lifetime, where I've been evacuated out twice, in a month," the mother said.

The Saskatchewan Red Cross directorsaidevacuation and shelterefforts are among the largest in 30 yearsin the province.

A large section of Highway 2 north of Prince Albert to La Rongeremainedclosed Tuesday afternoon.

Louis Laprisetravelled more than 10 hours and800kilometresto take refuge in Regina.

He left La Lochebecause of a raging firejust fivekilometres east of the community.

"[We're]lucky that we got out of there," he said.

PremierBrad Wall urged everyone in the province to "pull together" tohelpevacuees.

"We really need to do that right now in terms of taking care of these folks that are displaced from their home," he said.

"It's kind of lonelyrighthere. Without knowing anyone. Just kind of out of touch," Laprise said of Regina.

Fuchs stressed the need for trained volunteers, especially if they've alreadycompleted criminal record checks.

She asked that people drop ofoff donations at the Salvation Army, not at the locations sheltering evacuees.

University of Regina hosting evacuees

Approximately 85 evacuees werestaying at the University of Regina on Tuesday afternoon.

The Red Cross moved displaced northern residents needing private rooms due to nursing needs with infants or health issues to the campus, a university representativeconfirmed.

She said the school has capacity for 170 people.

Arrivals started from Monday night

On Monday night around 11p.m., the first evacuees started arriving at the Credit Union EventPlexin Evraz Place. Some 350came to the city duringthe night, Red Cross officials told CBC News.

More wereon the way Tuesday morning after Prince Albert and Saskatoon reached capacity.

• POLL:How are the forest fires impacting you?

The Red Cross estimates as many as 4,500 people could be in temporary shelters across the province by the end of the day.

Once the space fills up at Evraz Place, the Red Crosswill look to put evacuees in schools and hotels in the city.

Regina firefighters and paramedics werehelping out evacuees in Regina Monday night, while the Red Cross co-ordinated the registration processes.

At least four Salvation Army personnel were there handing out meals and snacks.

Some said they were feeling the effects of the smoke in Regina, which reduced visibility to under a kilometre by the late afternoon.