Indigenous leaders call for stronger partnerships, traditional knowledge in wildfire fight
The council is urging greater recognition of Indigenous knowledge and hands-on training to manage increasingly severe fires.
SASKATOON · The Prince Albert Grand Council is calling for enhanced government collaboration and a greater role for Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in wildfire management. Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte issued the call at the 2026 Wildland Fire Canada Conference in Saskatoon, which runs until Friday. He said changing fire behaviour in northern Saskatchewan requires closer coordination with provincial and federal governments. The conference brings together First Nations leaders, researchers and emergency officials to discuss severe fires that force evacuations and strain response systems.
Hardlotte pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed this summer between his council, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. The agreement seeks to improve cooperation, involve Elders in strategic planning and develop a long-term wildfire strategy. "We’ve always had a good working relationship," said Hardlotte. He said Elders have observed dramatic shifts in fire behaviour over decades that should guide future firefighting and prevention.
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency President Marlo Pritchard agreed that collaboration is essential. He said the increasing complexity and cost of wildfires demand unified strategies across governments and First Nations. Veteran firefighter Matthew Charles from La Ronge said climate change is causing fires to spread faster than ever. He urged a more proactive deployment of trained local crews and criticized the adequacy of short classroom courses for new firefighters.
"You can sit in a classroom for one week and come out certified, but you still don’t know how to fight fire," Charles said. "You got to be out there learning hands-on." He recommended reviving immersive wilderness training camps where recruits learn directly from experienced crews and Elders. Charles said shared wisdom is the key to managing fires more effectively. "That’s my message to everybody: learn from one another so we can deal with these fires more efficiently."
With files from MBC Radio