The Lowe family home before and after the Wolf fire hit Denare Beach (Linda Lowe/Facebook).

By Austin Mattes

Community Unity

‘We’re not going anywhere’: Denare Beach evacuees hope to rebuild after devastating wildfire

Jun 11, 2025 | 5:26 PM

In the wake of the devastating wildfire that tore through the northern community of Denare Beach, residents who practically lost everything are coming together with determination in hopes to rebuild, not just their homes, but the spirit of the community itself.

The Wolf fire, which spread rapidly and forced an urgent evacuation in late May, has left several families displaced and many homes destroyed. While the response to the fire has raised serious questions and frustrations, especially around government support, the sense of unity among residents is stronger than ever.

Rhonda Werbicki, a longtime resident who fled with only her animals and a few personal items, didn’t expect the worst.

“I left right away thinking that it wasn’t going to be anything. I didn’t bring anything other than my animals and we just left thinking we’re going to be back in a couple of days… so when all of this happened, it blew me away. I think it took all of us off guard,” Werbicki said.

Werbicki’s grief and frustration were heightened by what she said was a lack of government response.

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“Why is there not more response? When there is a fire that is just starting, get a huge response, why let things burn, stuff like this doesn’t happen if they get control of that fire when it just started. I’m just furious at Scott Moe right now,” Werbicki said.

Another resident, Linda Lowe echoed similar concerns.

“Scott Moe and his government knew that Wolf fire was there. They knew that the Foran mine was on pre-evac notice, basically a billion-dollar company in the middle of the bush, and they couldn’t bomb that thing to prevent it from happening. That was mind boggling,” Lowe said.

When the evacuation was announced, Lowe and her family headed south, unaware of how quickly the fire would escalate.

“We thought we were only going to be gone for a couple of days…then s*** hit the fan. When we left Denare Beach, we weren’t told where to go. Some people stayed wherever they could find a spot in Saskatchewan,” she said.

Both Lowe and Werbicki described a confusing, unsupported evacuation process, with minimal guidance from officials and limited access to emergency aid. While Manitoba evacuees reportedly received better assistance, Saskatchewan residents like Werbicki felt disregarded.

“The government gave no guidance. We had no direction on where we were going,” said Werbicki.

However, the outcries for help were eventually heard as Premier Scott Moe announced at a press conference on Wednesday that evacuees would be entitled to some financial assistance from the province.

This came after the Saskatchewan Ombudsperson announced they will be investigating the province’s wildfire response, following her office receiving numerous complaints.

Despite the hardship and unanswered questions, Lowe and Werbicki are finding hope through community support. Stores and strangers have stepped up to help evacuees in any way possible, while local businesses are doing whatever they can to help ease the burden as well.

“We’ve gone into a few stores like Mark’s Work Warehouse… they said they were giving evacuees 40% off on everything. My reaction was just, ‘Oh my God, that’s amazing,’” said Lowe.

What stands out most though, is the deep, unshakable bond between the people of Denare Beach and neighboring communities like Creighton and Flin Flon.

“We don’t treat it as three communities. We’re all one, we’ve always pulled together… if somebody’s family was sick and needed help, we’d all put on a meat draw or social to support them. We’ve always been together,” Lowe explained.

Now, with homes in ashes and lives flipped upside down, that bond is transforming into resilience and a commitment to return home and rebuild.

“I was one of the first to say that we are rebuilding, and there are a lot of people that have the same mindset. We are not going anywhere… we lost our home, but we also lost half of our community,” Werbicki said.

Lowe and her husband are also choosing to stay the course, even with retirement on the horizon.

“We’re like, no, let’s go back, let’s build, let’s get our community strong again,” she said.

Amid the loss, there are moments of grace, like Werbicki’s decision to bring her late pets’ ashes with her.

“I’m so thankful that I did… I was like, no, I’m not leaving without them,” she said.

And even moments of humour, like Lowe joking about her husband’s vintage fox body Mustang that was lost in the fire.

“He has the ticket to get a complete paint job in Selkirk for his Mustang. So, I told him you might want to make that phone call and tell him to take you off the list,” she chuckled.

The Ford Mustang the Lowe family lost in the wildfire (Wayde Amisk Sounds Lowe /Facebook).

For now, the road to recovery is uncertain, and residents want answers, change, and stronger protections going forward.

“I don’t expect compensation or anything, all I want is some change, because this can happen again later in the summer,” Werbicki said.

What is certain, is that the people of Denare Beach are standing together, hearts full and hands ready, not just to rebuild homes, but to restore their beloved community.

“This is one of the worst times of our lives, but I feel the most supported that I’ve ever felt in my whole life and it’s from everybody,” Werbicki said.

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austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes