Saskatchewan

Village of Denare Beach, Opposition say Sask. government 'failed' northern community

Denare Beach is located close to the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border and has approximately 700 year-round residents. More than 200 homes were destroyed by the Wolf fire.

Residents, MLA call on premier to explain why he didn't call in military during wildfires

A man speaks into microphones.
Village of Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz, centre, and Cumberland NDP MLA Jordan McPhail, right, call on Premier Scott Moe to explain why he didn't call for federal help when the Wolf fire threatened the village. (Jeremy Warren/CBC)

Residents of the Northern Village of Denare Beach, Sask., and Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP say the provincial government failed the village as a wildfire approached nearly a month ago.

Denare Beach is located close to the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border and has approximately 700 year-round residents. More than 200 homes were destroyed by the Wolf fire.

People from the village say it received no help from the Sask. Party government, despite high winds, dry weather and how fast the Wolf fire was moving. They also say the province has not been helpful during evacuation proceedings or as residents returned to find their community devastated by the fire.

"I stand here without a home, and I don't want anyone else to experience the pain and loss that my family and I have endured," Denare Beach resident Jennifer Hysert said at an NDP news conference in the village on Thursday.

"The Wolf fire took nearly everything my family has built over the past 25 years. What makes this loss even more painful is learning that it could have been avoided," resident Jennifer Hysert said.

WATCH | Denare Beach resident says the Sask. Party government failed her community: 

'No reason' Denare Beach destroyed, says resident in emotional critique of government response

21 days ago
Duration 2:53
Denare Beach, Sask., was one of the communities worst-hit by Saskatchewan's wildfires. As residents and community leaders now look to rebuild, some are critiquing the provincial government for pain they say was avoidable.

Residents and their MLA are calling for accountability from the government for "failing" their community and for immediate action to rebuild it for the future.

Both Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared provincial states of emergencies. But Jordan McPhail, NDP MLA for Cumberland, said the Village of Denare Beach wants to know why Premier Scott Moe didn't call in federal help for their community, unlike the Manitoba government, which called for military help immediately. 

That military help was used just 22 kilometres northeast of Denare Beach to Flin Flon, Man.

"I think Scott Moe and Tim McLeod [minister of corrections, policing and public safety] need to answer to the people as to how does this happen in Canada when you didn't even involve the Canadian government, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Operation LENTUS, and the many things that the military could have brought to the front lines of these fires."

Operation LENTUS is the CAF response for natural disasters in Canada. Its primary objective is to help provincial and local authorities ensure the safety of residents.

McPhail said the Denare Beach had no help when residents were displaced, and has no help now that they've returned home to rubble. 

"No clear direction from the provincial government on how to get assistance. No plan in place to get resources here so this community can begin to rebuild," he said.

WATCH | 'I just broke': Denare Beach, Sask., resident shows what's left of her home after wildfire: 

'I just broke': Denare Beach, Sask., resident shows what's left of her home after wildfire

22 days ago
Duration 0:59
Rhonda Werbicki says it was devastating returning to her community of Denare Beach, Sask., after a wildfire destroyed much of it. She shows us the remnants of the home where she built a life with her husband and children. The family plans to rebuild.

Paul Rossington, operations manager with Big Ice Services, a local construction company that provided equipment and manpower to local firefighters, said it did so because the province did not address calls for help.

He said things may have been different if the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) made different choices.

A man in a hat
Paul Rossington, centre, a resident of Denare Beach, speaks about the provincial response to the wildfire crisis to a room packed full of community members. (Jeremy Warren/CBC)

"There was no extra sprinkler gear for Denare Beach, or fire retardant drops or ground crews spraying fire retardant. None of that. Minimal extra fire trucks were deployed. So Denare Beach was left to burn," Rossington said.

The SPSA has not provided a public update on the fires since earlier this week, and the provincial government did not respond to CBC's questions on Thursday.

Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz said cleaning up remains a priority, but will be a challenge. 

"A lot of stuff, nobody's ever handled before in that capacity. So there's gonna be a learning curve," Lentowicz said.

Rebuilding will come after the cleanup, but residents said they're stuck waiting on guidance from the provincial government.

"We cannot allow this to happen again," Hysert said.

WATCH | Her Denare Beach home was destroyed by fire, but her lake resort was somehow spared: 

Her Denare Beach home was destroyed by fire, but her lake resort was somehow spared

24 days ago
Duration 1:07
Alannah Skot's home was one of 218 permanent residences in Denare Beach, Sask., destroyed by wildfire three weeks ago. But the lodge she owns, the Overland Resort, survived. It's becoming a place to stay for some of her neighbours who have to rebuild, and for SaskTel employees reconnecting services.

Speakers at the news conference thanked the local firefighters, volunteers and ground crew who worked their hardest to protect the community, but said seeing the village reduced to rubble has been devastating.

"I had some say that their husband was brought to their knees. Men who are, you know, the strongest of the strong … brought to their knees in tears," Hysert said.

Hysert said she is happy to be home, despite the lack of communication from the province, and wants the pride of her community to be restored and recognized by the rest of Saskatchewan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Sciarpelletti

Journalist & Radio Columnist

Laura is a journalist for CBC Saskatchewan. She also hosts and newsreads on CBC Radio One. Laura is the community reporter for CBC's Land of Living Stories series and the arts and culture radio column Queen City Scene Setter, which airs on CBC's The Morning Edition. Laura previously worked at CBC Toronto for network radio, and as a journalist at CBC Vancouver. Some of her former work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, NYLON Magazine, VICE Canada and The Tyee. Laura specializes in human interest, arts and health care coverage. She holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of British Columbia. Send Laura news tips at laura.sciarpelletti@cbc.ca