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Denare Beach residents were experiencing a wide range of emotions on Tuesday as they marked one year since the Wolf Fire destroyed nearly half of their community.
That’s according to Deputy Mayor Karen Thomson, who explained that while some residents have been able to begin the rebuilding process, others have not, as they continue to deal with insurance companies.
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“It’s a real range of emotions that are happening today, and rightly so. Not everybody is recovering at their own pace. They are doing so on their own time and in their own way. It’s been a difficult day to maneuver,” she explained.
“It has just been remarkable, the pace we have been rebounding. There are 11 homes right now, those are (ready-to-move homes), and we have Mennonite Disaster Service here right now, and they are building four homes. We are grateful for their help. There’s about 40-some permits out right now for (ready-to-move homes) that are going to be arriving over the summer months. By the end of summer, I think the landscape is going to look a lot better than it does today.”
The Wolf Fire had a devastating impact on Denare Beach, as it destroyed 230 homes, representing nearly half of all residences. The municipality was fortunate, however, to have essential infrastructure such as the village office, as well as the water and sewer treatment plants, left untouched.
Denare Beach was heavily impacted by the Wolf fire in June of 2025. (Linda Lowe/Facebook)
Denare Beach had a population of approximately 825 residents before the wildfire occurred, and Thomson said she knows not everyone will be coming back.
“They may be at the age where they have been given an opportunity where ‘What do we do? Do we rebuild or do we move on to that next phase of our lives?’ You know, later 60s, early 70s. They are opting to move into… that next stage of their lives,” she said.
“There are some who got an attractive buyout from insurance, so they opted to take the money and go buy a house in Flin Flon or maybe somewhere else.”
When it comes to wildfire preparedness, Thomson said she believes the community is in a better position than it was in 2025. She said mitigation efforts have been ongoing, involving both local fire crews and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.
Denare Beach fire chief Seth Fernandez said the goal is to become more independent when it comes to wildfire preparedness and firefighting.
“Our focus is specifically on the wildland-urban interface. The Denare Beach Volunteer Fire Department has invested in a 20-foot enclosed trailer completely equipped with pumps, hoses, sprinklers, fittings and a variety of tools necessary for structure protection during a wildfire,” he said.
“The trailer will be stored, managed and maintained within the community by the local volunteer fire department. To best support the community, the (fire department) has also sourced wildland urban interface specific fire training. The specialized training, paired with immediate access to equipment, allows for rapid and strategic deployment inside the community.”
