Investigation finds lightning strike caused Cloverdale wildfire
Investigators have determined the cause of the Cloverdale Fire.
The investigation which involved the Prince Albert Fire Department, Ministry of Environment and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency found a lightning strike was the cause.
Quentin Rowland, a fire inspector and investigator with the P.A. Fire Department explained a few days into the investigation the team got a break when they were given a photograph which helped them find where the fire originated.
“Luckily we had some photo evidence that was taken, that we got on the 20th that showed a picture, basically the early stages, that was taken probably about 10-15 minutes after the initial reporting of the fire,” he said.
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The wildfire northeast of Prince Albert that forced dozens of people to evacuate and left thousands of people without power in northern Saskatchewan last month was caused by a lightning strike, the Prince Albert Fire Department says.
“All other possible causes have been excluded,” the department said in a statement.
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The Cloverdale Fire started about four kilometres north of Prince Albert on May 17 and grew quickly because of windy, hot and dry conditions.