As air quality advisories lift, Shoal Lake and Red Earth Cree Nation evacuees told to stay put

It's been more than two weeks since wildfires forced hundreds of people from the Shoal Lake and Red Earth Cree Nations to evacuate their homes north of Hudson Bay, Sask. — and still, no official return date has been set.

"They're very lonely," said Shoal Lake Chief Marcel Head in a virtual news conference Friday afternoon. "They want to return home, but we've been telling them that we wouldn't want to put a risk on their health."

Environment Canada lifted all air quality advisories in the area Friday afternoon. The biggest threat — the nearby Bell fire — is now contained but continues to burn. 

However, under the current conditions, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said no further spread is expected.

The Saskatchewan Red Cross told CBC News it plans to meet with the leadership of both communities Saturday to decide evacuees' next steps. 

Before anyone returns, Head said community members need to address the smoke damage and air quality inside their homes to ensure everything is safe. 

He noted some people have already gone back to begin the cleaning process, and air purifiers are also on the way from Indigenous Services Canada.