Michelle Vandevord, the Director of Saskatchewan First Nations Volunteer Fire Department, was one of three women recognized in Victoria, B.C. with the Lynn Orstad Award as a trailblazing Canadian woman who has made significant, lasting contributions to wildfire risk reduction, education and community advocacy.
The award recognizes leadership and dedication that strengthens wildfire resilience across Canada. The Co-operators Lynn Orstad Award is presented annually at the Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit.
Vandevord, a member of the Muskoday First Nation near Prince Albert, received the award earlier in April.
“To be acknowledged in this space, it means that my voice is being heard that people understand and can sympathize with the realities of firefighting on reserve, so that’s always very special,” Vandevord said.
The Lynn Orstad Award is named in honour of the late Lynn Orstad, a respected leader and advocate for wildfire resilience. It honours trailblazing Canadian women who have made significant, lasting contributions to wildfire risk reduction, education and community advocacy.
Award recipients received a personalized award and a $1,000 grant to support continued wildfire resiliency efforts in their communities.
Vandervord started her firefighting career at the suggestion of her late friend, Randy Bear. Bear passed away from work-related cancer, but before then he often encouraged Vandevord to get involved.
Vandevord said Bear spotted something that she had a great affinity for.
“He had been shoulder tapping me for quite some time,” she explained. “‘Come to the fire hall, I think you’d be good at it.’ Finally, I made the decision and went to the fire hall. That was 27 years ago now.”
Vandevord said she does not think of herself as a trailblazer in women in firefighting.
“I really don’t like to think of myself as a role model but being in a space that is so male dominated. I want to show other females that they can be firefighters, that there is a space for them,” Vandevord said.
She explained that having women in firefighting broadens the understanding of how firefighting can operate.
“Women are needed in firefighting, both structural and wildland firefighting,” Vandevord. “They bring a different perspective to firefighting. They bring a kindness and, all the things that women are about being nurturing, that’s very needed when it comes to firefighting.”
Vandevord was celebrated for advancing culturally grounded, community-driven fire safety programs and strengthening resilience in Indigenous communities across Canada.
She said that being culturally grounded can be a significant piece of firefighting both on reserve and off reserve.
“An important piece is that as Indigenous people, we are so connected to the land,” Vandevord said.
“We see ourselves as the caretakers of the land,” she added.
She said that she noticed this especially after a large fire almost her home a few years ago.
“People don’t think about the effects after (a fire)—looking at burnt trees, driving to your community or having to actually look out your window and see burnt trees. It’s very devastating to have to look at that day after day after day for years. That that trauma can last a long time.”
She gave the examples of cultural burnings in her home community of Muskoday and how prescribed that burning is.
“We know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” she explained. “It’s done gentle, we’re not making big fires, but more of a cleaning of the land. It’s very beneficial for plants to come back and, get rid of invasive species, but it’s always to be caretakers of the land.”
Vandevord thanked the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) for taking a chance on a female firefighter.
“If it wasn’t for the PAGC allowing me to apply and then be successful coming into Saskatchewan First Nation Emergency Management, … my voice never would have been heard regionally or nationally, and it’s because they took a chance on a female,” she said. “I believe their decision has really had a ripple effect greater across Saskatchewan and a lot of our First Nation communities. I’m always, very thankful that they did that on nine years ago.”
The 2026 Wildfire and Resiliency Training Summit was held from April 8-12 in Victoria B.C. It brought together more than 700 wildfire and emergency management professionals from across Canada, including First Nations representatives, fire departments, local governments and wildfire specialists.
This year’s other recipients are Danyta Welch form the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Colleen Ross, AFE Wildland Fire Ecologist and Burn Boss.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
