The province’s chief fire commissioner says he has no plans to step down in the wake of two scathing reports that found his organization was caught flat-footed during last year’s destructive wildfire season. “At this point in time, I will not be stepping down. I will be leading the changes that have been identified in both the MNP report and the auditor’s report,” said Marlo Pritchard, president and commissioner of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. Pritchard’s lieutenant, SPSA Vice-President Steve Roberts took an early retirement soon after the release of the MNP report. In a briefing with media on Tuesday morning, Pritchard made it clear he would not be exiting the organization and was committed to carrying out the needed reforms. “I will be leading the changes that have been identified in both the MNP report and the auditor’s report,” he said. The MNP review found Saskatchewan’s emergency management system fell short during the worst wildfire season on record. A total of 514 fires burned roughly 2.9 million hectares last year, forcing more than 10,000 people from their homes. The report said the SPSA was not fully prepared for the scale and complexity of the fires and found key parts of the response were not effectively executed. “We did not wait for the MNP report, we did not wait for the auditor’s report. We’ve done [a] significant amount of work … and we will continue to work with that and work with direction from our board," Pritchard told reporters Tuesday. Pritchard highlighted the SPSA’s newly-established Future Preparedness Unit among some of their early efforts at reform. He says the public safety agency has made a significant investment in communications, especially by expanding its social media presence, in an effort to make sure members of the public have the information they need. The SPSA has also been improving support systems for evacuees, he says, working to get financial aid to those who need it “in a more expedited fashion.” With more than 100 fewer fires this year to date, the pace seems to be manageable for the organization by comparison. There are currently 56 active wildfires across the province, according to the SPSA, including three that are not contained. Bryan Chartrand, SPSA’s director of land operations told reporters Tuesday that crews are keeping their eye on a few fires near communities including Wollaston Lake and Southend, which is surrounded by a cluster of lightning-caused fires. “[But] the situation is improving as we get more help.” Chartrand says, based on the rainy weather and the SPSA’s own internal models, he doesn’t believe there are currently any communities at major risk from wildfires..
