Stress levels up for fire evacuee mother of 5

Saskatoon’s Henk Ruys Soccer Centre has been bustling with activity as organizers and parents try to keep evacuee children entertained.

Over 2,300 people have been forced to flee their homes due to wildfire activity near Pelican Narrows. Over 900 are in Saskatoon.

“Just going for walks and I took my kids swimming once but it’s kinda pricey,” said Jade Beatty, an evacuee and mother of five.

Beatty said she’s been keeping her children entertained by going to the park and taking advantage of any options made available to them, including the evening merchandise bingos.

On Saturday some of her kids got hockey sticks and soft pucks from the Saskatoon Blades as they came out for the afternoon to play an impromptu game of road hockey.

Beatty says she has been sick and stressed since she arrived and that’s not going to end anytime soon.

Her partner, Wilfred Ballantyne planned to return to the community on Sunday to help fight the fires.

“I`m already feeling the stress, cause he helps me a lot,” Beatty said.

But she understands why the call was put out for more help.

“Some of those firefighters have been working for 24 days straight and they need a break. so, they’re calling a bunch of men to go up to P.A. to get certified.”

From there they will make their way to Pelican Narrows and be put to work.

Beatty said she misses her own home cooked meals, her bed and the peacefulness of Pelican Narrows.

She has heard people may be able to return home on September 8.

“They also said they might be setting up some classrooms here for the kids, to get the teachers from Pelican coming here,” Beatty said.