Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
MNP, the vendor chosen to perform an independent review of the devastating 2025 wildfire season, has opened a public survey for anyone impacted by the wildfires in Saskatchewan. The survey is available for all individuals to provide their experiences as an opportunity to strengthen future responses. Responses will be anonymous and will only be seen by MNP.
As part of its comprehensive review process, MNP will continue to conduct other engagements. The review includes a jurisdictional scan, assessing the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s (SPSA) processes and directly engaging with impacted communities. From this comprehensive work, MNP will produce their final report, which is to be concluded before the 2026 wildfire season.
Founded in 1958, MNP has grown to more than 150 locations across Canada, establishing itself as one of the country’s leading professional services firms. MNP serves individuals, businesses, and organizations, and has become the largest mid-market focused firm in Canada while retaining its Canadian roots. Previously known as Meyers Norris Penny, MNP now employs over 8,000 people, making it the third-largest professional services firm in Canada by headcount.
MNP LLP offers a range of services, including assurance, financial advisory, forensic accounting, management consulting, risk advisory, and tax services. Management consulting involves providing expert advice to organizations to enhance their performance and help achieve their objectives. Organizations may seek the assistance of management consultants for various reasons, such as obtaining unbiased external advice and accessing specialized expertise for issues that require additional oversight.
“MNP has the experience and expertise necessary to conduct an independent review of this scope,” Community Safety Minister and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Michael Weger said. “We want to assure that all residents have an opportunity to be heard.”
The survey will run from December 19, 2025, to January 30, 2026, and a link to MNP’s survey is available on their website at https://www.mnp.ca/en/clients/public-sector/spsa-2025-wildfire-season-review. Residents can also email SaskWildfire2025@mnp.ca to provide additional feedback.
“As a result of the unprecedented 2025 wildfire season, the MNP independent review will gather information from those impacted by the wildfires,” SPSA President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard said. “This knowledge will help develop recommendations for guiding improvements around mitigation, preparedness and response.”
This review will attempt to understand the facts around the 2025 Saskatchewan wildfire event, establish lessons learned to support future planning in wildfire management, and support public accountability through a comprehensive review.
The Review will focus on five key areas:
Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation, through the examination of pre-season wildfire strategies, FireSmart initiatives, fuel management efforts, public education campaigns, and regulatory tools such as the use of fire bans and notifications.
Readiness and Preparedness, by assessing the SPSA’s readiness for the 2025 wildfire season, including staffing, resource allocation, interagency agreements, public awareness campaigns, and the use of technology to prepare for wildfire events.
Wildfire and Emergency Response, through the review of operational decision-making, fire behaviour analysis, leadership effectiveness, interagency coordination, frontline staff supports, emergency management, and operational communication.
Evacuation and HR Assessment – Evaluating the efficiency and timeliness of the evacuation strategies, including the Emergency Crisis Support (ECS) program, during evacuations in meeting community needs.
Recovery Strategy – Evaluating SPSA’s Recovery Strategy, focusing on the framework for recovery efforts, including the processes and procedures guiding recovery efforts. This area includes an emphasis on whether there are departures from how recovery is being approached in 2025 compared to prior years and prior events.
The success of the review, MNP notes, relies on “capturing the experience of the public during the 2025 Wildfire Season to inform actionable, forward-looking recommendations to strengthen the SPSA’s wildfire preparedness and response.”
The survey is intended for all residents, community members, and stakeholders across the province. This may include individuals who were directly impacted, indirectly impacted, or not impacted at all during the 2025 wildfire season.
