Premier Scott Moe and Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill presenting Chief Lindsay Holm with a Premier's Commendation Award. (Scott Moe/Facebook)

By Alyssa Rudolph

'quite a shock'

Battlefords firefighters awarded for their heroism during northern wildfires

Dec 3, 2025 | 4:04 PM

North Battleford’s fire chief visited Regina on Tuesday to receive an award for his crew’s heroism and bravery.

Premier Scott Moe awarded each fire chief a Premier’s Commendation Award for those who served during the wildfires in northern Saskatchewan earlier this year.

Chief Lindsay Holm said the announcement of the award came as ‘quite a shock.’

“I’m proud of my guys. They did a fantastic job when we were up there. We put in some really, really long days when we were there. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew,” he said.

The chief explained there were some days where his crew fought blazes for 24 hours straight. However, the last three days were the crews longest stretch with 56 straight hours spent covering for the town of La Ronge’s fire department.

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“The firefighters up in La Ronge were going for an extended period of time. I think the first three or four days up there, they didn’t get a lot of sleep at all. So, we wanted to make sure that those firefighters got some rest and were able to spend some time with their families,” Holm said.

That’s when North Battleford’s firefighters stepped in, taking over any car accidents or calls for service.

Holm explained how his time spent up north was nostalgic and brought him back to when he fought fires in the town back in 2015. He said both wildfires were heartbreaking, but one structure fire really stood out to him.

“One of the buildings that were lost in the fire was a building that was pretty near and dear to all the people up in La Ronge. That was the Robertson Trading Post there. Unfortunately, that building was lost and that was really difficult,” he said.

The chief also added that when wildfires hit communities, it becomes a very overwhelming feeling for the residents. He said it is ‘a good Saskatchewan trait’ to help support neighbouring communities that have been affected, and that’s why he thinks the premier has recognized firefighters with this award.

North Battleford firefighters who served in northern Saskatchewan will receive their own commendation pins and certificates on behalf of the premier at an upcoming city council meeting.

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alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com