Saskatchewan wildfires: another 1,000 evacuees going home

Another 1,000 wildfire evacuees from northern Saskatchewan will able to return home today.

It's the latest sign that the forest fire crisis may be stabilizing, at least in certain areas.

The province announced today that everyone who was forced to leave the Little Red River, Red Earth, Sturgeon Lake and Wahpeton communities can return.

People who aren't at risk of health problems due to smoke can return to six other communities, including Dillon, Grandmother's Bay, Michel Village, Pinehouse, St. George's Hill and parts of Deschambault Lake.

The same day of the announcement, the Red Cross was winding down its emergency shelter in Regina at Evraz Place.

Many people there are being moved to Saskatoon where they will be closer to their homes in the north.

Around 13,000 people were forced out of their homes amid unprecedented fires in northern Saskatchewan.
Some communities were directly threatened by fire, while in others, heavy smoke was the issue.

On Wednesday, about 480,000 hectares were burning, an area equivalent to about 20 times the size ofSaskatoon.