SASKATOON — Saskatchewan officials have acknowledged the need for significant improvements in wildfire preparedness and response following the release of an independent review examining the province’s handling of the devastating 2025 wildfire season.

Speaking after the report was made public, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Community Safety, Michael Weger, said lessons must be learned from last year’s unprecedented wildfire activity and that the province is committed to strengthening its emergency response systems.

The review, conducted by consulting firm MNP, outlined 11 key recommendations aimed at improving wildfire management, emergency coordination and long-term preparedness. Provincial officials have directed the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) to begin implementing the recommendations immediately.

Among the report’s priorities are enhanced fire prediction and prevention modelling, stronger coordination between government agencies and local communities, and improvements to emergency planning and resource management.

The report examined Saskatchewan’s historic 2025 wildfire season, during which more than 500 wildfires burned nearly three million hectares of land and forced the evacuation of over 10,000 residents. Reviewers described the season as one of the most challenging in the province’s history, driven by prolonged drought conditions, extreme fire behaviour and multiple large-scale fires occurring simultaneously.

While acknowledging the extraordinary circumstances, the report concluded that many of the operational challenges exposed weaknesses that existed before the crisis. According to the findings, the wildfire season highlighted systemic issues within emergency management structures that require attention before future fire seasons.

In response, the provincial government has expanded oversight of the SPSA by involving additional cabinet ministers responsible for justice, environment, government relations, and rural and remote health care. Officials say the changes are intended to strengthen accountability and improve coordination across government departments.