Cameco is now in the process of transporting employees, its regular workforce and contractors, back to the Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan Sunday and is planning to restart production later this week.

About 230 workers were evacuated from the site on July 1 as a precaution due to the proximity of a wildfire burning in the vicinity of the operation. The company has consulted with provincial wildfire management officials and the decision was made to head back on site due to the risk to Cigar Lake posed by the fire having now subsided.

With improved weather and smoke conditions, minimal likelihood of further road closures in the area, and all infrastructure at Cigar Lake remaining intact, Cameco believes the full complement of personnel can be safely remobilized and regular operations resumed.

Final inspections and preparation of equipment will occur over the days ahead to ready the operation for a return to production.

Both the number of fires and the number not contained, have increased in Saskatchewan. There are now 25 fires burning, 8 are not contained, There have been 218 fires so far this year as compared to the five year average of 199. A province-wide fire ban was implemented Friday because of the extreme heat and dry conditions which boosted the risk of fire. In addition many rural municipalities have also issued their own fire bans including the Rural Municipality of Corman Park.