The Canadian Press 14/08/2024 The leadership of a Saskatchewan First Nation has called for help and says the province is failing to act hours after issuing an evacuation order for Sandy Bay, Sask. due to an escalating wildfire. A statement Tuesday from officials with the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation said the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency has refused to hire hundreds of qualified First Nations firefighters to tackle the blaze near the community of 1,800 in the province’s northeast. “Their reasoning? A lack of proper personal protective equipment (PPE). They say that our firefighters only have cotton overalls instead of the Nomex fabric coveralls required for fighting these intense fires,” Chief Peter Beatty said in the statement. He said First Nations have access to the necessary gear, including hats and boots,…
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