Summary

This bill requires the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety to establish a provincial wildfire management strategy that includes public awareness guidelines, published statistics, collaboration promotion, best practices definitions, and evidence-based research promotion. The ministry must consult annually with First Nations, Métis, municipal governments in Northern Saskatchewan, the federal government, and wildfire experts, and report progress in its annual report.

The bill tasks the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety with creating and maintaining a provincial wildfire strategy. The strategy must cover five areas: improving public knowledge about wildfires, making government wildfire statistics publicly available, encouraging collaboration across different groups and regions, defining best practices for preventing and fighting wildfires, and promoting research-based approaches. Starting within 180 days of the law taking effect and annually thereafter, the ministry must consult with Northern Saskatchewan First Nations, Métis and municipal governments, the federal government, and wildfire experts to develop this strategy. Each year, the ministry must include an update on the strategy in its annual report. The bill does not create new firefighting resources or funding commitments, but rather establishes a framework for coordination, information sharing, and planning.