Corman Park issues fire ban due to dry conditions

Corman Park isn’t taking chances with dry conditions increasing the risk of wildfires.

Saskatchewan’s largest rural municipality, which borders the outskirts of Saskatoon, is enacting a total fire ban effective at 9 a.m. on Friday.

The ban covers all open-flame fires including controlled burns, burning barrels, fire pits and fireworks. Exempt from the ban are indoor fireplaces and gas-fueled equipment such as barbecues.

The ban comes after a close call Tuesday when a controlled burn quickly got out of control. The blaze scorched roughly 500 acres of land and required a handful of homes to be evacuated as a precaution.

As of Friday morning, the government’s fire ban map lists 10 municipalities with active bans in place.

Saskatchewan is coming off a record-setting wildfire season in 2023.

Citing below-average precipitation for much of the province during winter, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is preparing for an average or above-average summer for fires.