Aidan Jaager, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
With temperatures across the province beginning to rise, so is the wildfire risk for northern communities and beyond that saw devastation last year.
A spokesperson noted that the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has been preparing for this year’s wildfire season by recruiting fire personnel a month earlier than previous years.
“The SPSA owns and operates one of the largest and most capable aerial firefighting fleets in Canada, consisting of 17 aircraft strategically positioned across the province to deploy quickly and effectively to combat wildfires,” it said in a statement.
It also said there may be times when planes will be “temporarily removed from service for repair, a federally regulated inspection, maintenance and other issues.
“If availability is hindered, the SPSA will request additional aircraft through its existing mutual aid agreements and compacts.”
As of Wednesday, there was one active wildfire roughly 40 kilometres north of Meadow Lake, SPSA confirmed. There are currently no provincial fire bans in place, but municipalities and other local authorities can issue their own bans.
The agency encourages residents to visit their interactive fire ban map.
“While most people do not intentionally ignite grass or wildfires, the SPSA would like to remind the public that human-caused fires are preventable. In 2025, 267 of Saskatchewan’s 514 wildfires (58 per cent) were classified as accidental and to be caused by people,” the statement read.
The SPSA also says people should avoid using tools that may cause sparks during dry conditions, and to properly dispose of cigarettes.
Standing outside a Saskatoon fire hall on Wednesday, Cumberland NDP MLA Jordan McPhail said that northern Saskatchewan “lived through one of the worst wildfire disasters,” in the province’s history
He said the province is not responding appropriately by not passing the NDP’s proposed Bill 609. It outlines and mandates consultations with local governments, Indigenous leaders, community members and calls for a wildfire report with statistics from last year. last y McPhail said he wants a strategy that involves “transparency and accountability.”
In response, Community Safety Minister Michael Weger said “Bill 609 proposes to remove the responsibility of wildfire suppression from the experts on wildfires at the SPSA.
“This type of organizational change would only add red tape to the process – a dangerous proposal for an agency that needs to be quick and responsive to emergency situations.”
La Ronge, Pelican Narrows, Sandy Bay and Creighton were some of the areas where homes burnt down last year. McPhail stressed the importance of fire leadership.
“We had northern chiefs and leaders who were on the fire team. They knew how to get to certain areas of the bush in those wildfire areas. Having those voices heard in your operations plan would mean that the government is well prepared to fight those areas,” McPhail said.
He added that they could have been on the front line “a heck of a lot sooner than what the Saskatchewan Party government had last year.”
Weger said the SPSA continues to “engage regularly,” and before each season, with community and Indigenous leaders on wildfire response to support Type 2 and Type 3 wildland firefighter availability.
He added that the SPSA hired 913 Type 3 personnel in 2025 to support the wildfire response, signing letters of understanding with the Meadow Lake and Yorkton Tribal Councils in recent years.
McPhail said he’s also worried that with recent flooding, roads are not properly maintained to allow for evacuations. He questioned if pilots are being paid enough to fight blazes, adding he’d like to see more training earlier in the fire season from places like the Prince Albert Grand Council.
Weger said “the SPSA’s team of seasonal pilots ensures the agency maintains a sufficient roster of trained and qualified pilots to operate its specialized aircraft,” adding that updates on road conditions will be happening soon.
