A fire started near the Rural Municipality of Pittville on Tuesday as Mark Hughes鈥� neighbours harvested their crops.
One of his neighbours, who was at the back of the field and spotted the flames, began dialling numbers and texting to raise the alarm, but a lack of service meant there was no way to do so.
It took about two hours and dozens of neighbours to get the fire under control, but the safety concerns remain, Hughes said.
鈥淥ur livelihoods and our lives are put in danger,鈥� he said.
鈥淚f I climb off this combine and my combine鈥檚 on fire 鈥� and I got no service when I hit the ground, I hope I can get out of it. That鈥檚 one of the biggest fears for myself and my neighbours and my family. Anybody.鈥�
Hughes, the reeve for the Rural Municipality of Miry Creek, said the cell service in nearby Hazlet is only good for roughly four kilometres, and is 鈥渁 waste鈥� any further out. The Tuesday fire was about 19 kilometres away, he said.
It鈥檚 only the latest of challenges from poor coverage, including internet service for family members attempting to attend school remotely, he added.
鈥淚f we had some cell service, and some broadband that was worthwhile out here, not only would it help our youth but it would help our livelihoods as farmers.鈥�
SaskTel installed the small cell site that covers the Village of Hazlet in December 2019, but its coverage doesn鈥檛 extend to the Pittville area, spokeswoman Michelle Englot wrote in an email. Pittville is about 320 kilometres west of Regina.
SaskTel鈥檚 wireless network extends to 99 per cent of Saskatchewan鈥檚 population, but coverage gaps result from weather, terrain, structures, and distance from wireless towers, Englot added.
鈥淭he health, safety and security of Saskatchewan residents remains a top priority and that is one of the primary reasons why we have committed $78.9 million for rural wireless expansion and improvements in 2020/21,鈥� she wrote.
Hit and miss cell coverage is a common frustration for farmers, noted Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) president Todd Lewis.
He鈥檚 thankful the Pittville fire ended without harm, but said it was 鈥渄isappointing鈥� rural cell service lags despite the safety concerns. That鈥檚 not to mention challenges facing people attempting to work and learn remotely.
APAS released a survey in June that found more than 100 respondents had safety concerns over lack of cell service, including serious accidents and contacting emergency services to respond to incidents like wildfires.
Lewis wants more cooperation between SaskTel and private providers 鈥� and between the province and the federal government 鈥� to improve service.
Despite improvements, demand grows every year, he said.
鈥淎nd it seems right we鈥檙e just not keeping up with the demands.鈥�
