Months after Saskatchewan’s ombudsperson announced her office would review the provincial government’s wildfire response, the NDP is demanding a separate investigation.
The opposition party is calling for a public inquiry led by an independent judge. According to NDP northern affairs critic Jordan McPhail, such an inquiry would be completely free of political interference.
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He said people would be called on to testify and recommendations would be developed to improve the wildfire response in the future.
Saskatchewan saw an early and intense start to the wildfire season this year, and a number of communities were placed under evacuation orders while many homes and other structures were destroyed. The province has seen 503 wildfires this season, which is less than the 610 fires seen by this time last year but ahead of the five-year average of 464.

A number of Saskatchewan communities were placed under evacuation orders due to the devastating wildfires this summer. (La Ronge Regional Fire Department/Facebook)
When asked about the difference between the ombudsperson’s investigation and the separate inquiry he’s calling for, McPhail said the ombudsperson is specifically looking into the services provided to wildfire evacuees, whereas a public inquiry would examine all aspects of the provincial response.
“Why were half of the fleet of the water bombers left on the left, on the ground? Why weren’t they in a state of repair that they could fly at the beginning of wildfire season? They knew about this,” McPhail said.
The NDP MLA said he also wants to know why the provincial government initially turned down assistance from the federal government and military.
But back in July, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard explained why the military wasn’t called in sooner. He said because of the dangers posed by the wildfires in the early stages of the crisis, calling in the military would have just put those members in a dangerous situation.
“That was not the time to even consider putting those individuals anywhere near those fires,” Pritchard said. “They do not have the level of training.”
Military personnel and equipment were deployed in the province in July, following a request by Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod.
The potential issue of the inquiry and the ombudsperson’s investigation overlapping was also raised, but NDP First Nations and Métis relations critic Leroy Laliberte said an inquiry would represent “a collaborative effort to ensure that we get to the bottom of all of it.”
When asked how much an inquiry would cost, neither McPhail nor Laliberte shared any estimations. Instead, McPhail said the NDP’s focus is on getting people the answers they need.
He also called for Premier Scott Moe and McLeod to visit communities like Creighton and Pelican Narrows to discuss the wildfire response with residents. Moe visited Denare Beach, one of the northern communities hit hardest by the wildfires, last month.
Independent review already planned
Meanwhile, the provincial government indicated that an independent review is already in the works.
This week, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued a request for bids for the purpose of contracting an independent firm that will analyze its wildfire response, the evacuation orders issued and the recovery after the fires.
It’s anticipated that the third-party group conducting the review will be announced soon, with the review process beginning in the next few weeks and wrapping up before the 2026 wildfire season begins.