‘We need to do better’: Saskatchewan Premier Moe addresses scathing wildfire report

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has acknowledged the province's deficiencies in managing the 2025 wildfire season, a period described as the "most significant fire season" in history for the region. His comments follow the release of a critical report by accounting firm MNP, which detailed the province's lack of preparedness for the intense fire activity.

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The 2025 wildfire season placed Saskatchewan’s wildfire and emergency management system under significant strain due to extreme, but reasonably foreseeable, conditions after consecutive (years) of extreme wildfire seasons in Canada.

The MNP report revealed that Saskatchewan was ill-equipped to handle the fire-packed season, which resulted in 2.9 million hectares of land being consumed by flames. The report specifically criticized the prevention methods employed by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), deeming them outdated and not based on current fire science. The report noted that the system was under significant strain due to "extreme, but reasonably foreseeable, conditions after consecutive (years) of extreme wildfire seasons in Canada."

Speaking from Paris, where he was on a European trade trip, Moe stated that the government has reviewed the report and is committed to providing a response that instills confidence in the province's residents. He assured that the government is taking action to ensure the SPSA consistently delivers a higher level of service.

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When we received the review, there’s a process the government went through to ensure that we had an adequate response to that review. And a response that, I think, would provide some level of confidence in people that live in communities across this province.

However, the report's findings have prompted calls for accountability. Dustin Trumbley, a resident of Denare Beach, Sask., who lost his home and belongings in last year's blaze, demanded the resignations of SPSA president Marlo Pritchard and vice-president of operations Steve Roberts. Trumbley expressed that the people in the north deserve better and questioned the current leadership's capability.

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the government is taking action to ensure that our SPSA is always delivering a higher level of service.

Premier Moe responded to calls for resignations by stating that staffing decisions within the SPSA are not within the purview of elected government members. He declined to comment on whether he agreed with Trumbley's assessment of the SPSA leadership, emphasizing instead the report's recommendations that "we need to do better."

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Marlo (Pritchard) and Steve (Roberts), you know you did wrong. There will be no apology – there never has been an apology on their behalf. The people in the north deserve better, clearly.