In a year when everything seemed to be altered, some of the resulting changes are actually welcome.

In its latest report, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency saw the number of wildfires in the province decrease from the 5-year average of 405, down to only 125.

"Our fire season has been below average," reports Steve Roberts, the SPSA's acting vice-president of operations, "primarily because of mild and wet weather in the north. It's been very unfavourable to wildfires. Last year was also a low year, but again, these are some of the lowest numbers we've seen in the last ten years."

Roberts also believes that the restrictions put in place early on due to the pandemic also reduced the number of human-caused fires. While the wetter weather definitely deceased the number of fires in the province, the agency also had to deal with more flooding as a result.

"As an all-hazard agency, we have diverted our wildfire crews to assist local communities in the north to address flooding this summer as well."

However, while the numbers may be down in Saskatchewan, the Pacific States are still in the grip of some of the worst wildfires on record. Roberts says that some of their team have been dispatched to help American firefighters.

"Two air-tankers, an elite plane with associated staff [have been sent] to assist with those fires. They will be managing and supplying support to fires in both Washington state and Oregon."

Smoke from the fires has been cascading eastwards and has already hit the southwest part of the province.