The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency gave its outlook for 2022.

Some of the important topics were the current risk assessments for tornados and wildfires and the continued replacement of an aircraft. The agency also warned of an increased risk of grass fires in southern Saskatchewan.

Jeanette Krayetski, the manager of intelligence and situational awareness with the agency, said that portions of southern Saskatchewan are very dry.

“Areas in southern Saskatchewan that have been snow-free for quite an extended period of time that this time of year after the snow melts or where open lands have been snow-free and dry, it is a risk.”

She said residents need to be careful until things green up.

“Until the vegetation starts to turn green and the leaves on the trees flush out, it is a very high-risk time for that dry dormant vegetation to start on fire,” she said. “People are anxious to get out into the fields, do brush clearing, perhaps clean off ditches and do some burning, but of all of these activities pose a hazard and a risk,” she said. “Until everything is green, we have people to be extremely careful.”

Krayetski added that residents should phone the controlled burn line and register the fire before igniting it.

She added that controlled fires could quickly change and become uncontrolled with the Saskatchewan spring winds.