Canada wildfire moves into Saskatchewan, but little risk to mines, farms

By Rod Nickel
May 20 (Reuters) - A Canadian wildfire has moved from
oil-rich Alberta into Saskatchewan, but that province's fertile
farms and lucrative mines are tucked far away from the blaze's
path.
The fire in northern Alberta hit the town of Fort McMurray
in early May, forcing widespread evacuations and triggering a
prolonged energy shutdown. Rain and wind on Friday were helping
to beat flames back from oil sands facilities.
One of the nearest Saskatchewan communities to the fire is
impoverished La Loche, population 2,600, but it is partly
protected by a nearby lake.
Saskatchewan accounts for all of Canada's uranium
production, second in the world only to Kazakhstan. It is home
to 45 percent of the global reserves of potash, a mineral used
to fertilize crops, and its plains grow more wheat than
Argentina.
The province's uranium mines and mills, operated by Cameco
Corp CCO.TO and Areva SA AREVA.PA , are more than 200
kilometers (124 miles) from the boundary with Alberta, said Gary
Delaney, Saskatchewan's chief geologist.
Exploration uranium projects in the southwest part of the
Athabasca basin owned by Nexgen Energy Ltd NXE.V and Fission
Uranium Corp FCU.TO are closer to the blaze.
Even so, the damage from forest fires last year in the area
mitigate the risk now, said Rob Chang, an analyst at Cantor
Fitzgerald who follows uranium companies.
"It's always important to keep track," he said, noting that
the fire can move at high speeds. But "trees in that area are
already pretty dead."
Potash mines, run by Potash Corp of Saskatchewan POT.TO ,
Mosaic Co MOS.N and Agrium Inc AGU.TO , operate far south of
the wildfire.
Saskatchewan's farms, which produce more canola and wheat
than any other province, are also well south of the wildfire's
path. Farmers are in planting season, meaning there is little
crop material to burn in any case.