Statement from Premier Pillai and Minister Mostyn celebrating Yukon First Nations wildland firefighting

Premier Ranj Pillai and Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn have issued the following statement:

“As wildfire season draws to a close, our government – on behalf of all Yukoners – thanks Yukon First Nations for their contributions to wildland fire management.

“We are proud of the ongoing partnership between Wildland Fire Management and Yukon First Nations and we strongly support the Yukon First Nations Wildfire’s Warrior and Beat the Heat initiatives, two unique initiatives aimed at providing learning and skill development.

“With Beat the Heat and Warrior programs in Whitehorse, Watson Lake and Dawson City, Yukon First Nations Wildfire is encouraging First Nations youth to grow, challenge themselves, and find their role in community service and as future leaders.

“While each First Nation government handles initial-attack contracts differently, 13 First Nations signed contracts for the 2023 season. Their contributions to the Yukon’s wildfire management operations demonstrate the importance of First Nations involvement in this critical workforce.

“These partnerships are continuously evolving to help meet the changing needs of communities. This is exemplified by a recent agreement between the Government of Yukon and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation (C/TFN). This new, unique agreement is aimed at supporting Wildland Fire Management’s capacity to train and deploy C/TFN Citizens on an initial-attack crew while expanding wildfire resiliency projects on traditional territories.”