A Saskatchewan First Nation has issued an evacuation order for another of its communities as a fast-moving wildfire approaches.

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation says it has ordered the evacuation of Southend, a community of more than 1,100 people in northeastern Saskatchewan.

Officials say the Merkley fire has forced the closure of the only road into the community.

They say more than 550 high-priority individuals and about 200 others have already been safely relocated as of Wednesday afternoon.

Peter Ballantyne comprises nine communities, and this is the second time in two weeks it has had to issue an evacuation order for one of them.

It says about 1,400 people from Sandy Bay remain away from home after the community was ordered evacuated on Aug. 13 because of a wildfire that has since doubled in size.