Saskatchewan firefighters recognized after unprecedented wildfire season

Close to 50 fire departments from Saskatchewan and Manitoba were awarded the Premier's Commendation. Wayne Mantyka reports.

Close to 50 fire departments that battled unprecedented summer wildfires have now received special recognition for their efforts.

The departments, based in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, were awarded the premier’s commendation on Tuesday.

Many of the firefighters who attended the ceremony noted they had never experienced anything like this summer’s fire season.

“It was a little more intense than we’d seen before. We don’t have that kind of forest around home. It was a little different, but an experience to say the least,” Balcarres Fire Department Chief Charlie Milne told CTV News.

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Premier Scott Moe was addressed the award recipients during the proceedings.

“To recognize people who stepped up in the face of adversity, danger, stepped up with great courage to help their Saskatchewan residents,” Moe said in his remarks.

Many of the fire departments recognized Tuesday are comprised of volunteers who were dispatched to where help was needed most.

“We were initially dispatched to Pelican Narrows, and when we arrived, we were redirected to the town of Creighton. At that time Denare Beach was already on fire,” Silton Fire Department Chief Corey Coons recalled.

Many of the firefighters said they appreciated the recognition.

“It’s fantastic. It’s so nice to see the premier come and talk about everything that happened and to thank everybody individually on behalf of their fire department for helping and you couldn’t ask for anything better,” Flin Flon Fire Department Chief Jason Kuraz said.

The NDP Opposition believes the provincial government must be better prepared in future years and has introduced legislation calling for a provincial strategy for the prevention of wildfires.

The government says a strategy already exists.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has secured MNP to perform an independent review of the 2025 wildfire season with on the SPSA’s response, evaluation, and recovery aspects.

The review is set to be concluded prior to the 2026 wildfire season.

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