The wildfire had forced people from at least 50 homes by late Tuesday afternoon. "This is a fast-moving fire and residents and the public are advised to avoid the area," the city said in a release. The city of about 40,000, about 140 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, is no stranger to wildfires, but Dionne said this blaze was worryingly close. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said the fire began about four kilometres northeast of Prince Albert on Monday afternoon. The cause was still being investigated. It quickly grew with unseasonably high temperatures and strong winds. A state of emergency was declared for Prince Albert and the Rural Municipality of Buckland later in the day.