Wildfire Survivor Gives Birth to Healthy Newborn Daughter Amid Rebuilding Efforts in Denare Beach, Sask.

A wildfire destroyed Brooke Kindel's home in Denare Beach, Sask., while she was 35 weeks pregnant. Her house and almost all of her belongings burned down. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Callie, a month later. Kindel's family is temporarily living in Saskatoon, and they are waiting for mandatory environmental assessments before rebuilding. The wildfire destroyed over 200 homes in Denare Beach and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation's Denare Beach reserve.

The recent wildfires in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, have left the community in disarray, with over 200 homes destroyed. The provincial government has announced a $20 million fund to aid in recovery efforts, but residents are expressing mixed reactions to the aid and the government's response.

Government Funding and Clean-up Efforts

The provincial government has committed $20 million to help communities affected by the wildfires, including Denare Beach. The funding will be used for clean-up, environmental testing, landfill expansions, and project management to assist with local recovery efforts [1]. Carl Lentowicz, the village's mayor, appreciates the funding but notes that it may not be sufficient to cover the extensive damage caused by the Wolf fire.

Resident Concerns

Residents like Cyndi Pedwell and Linda Lowe are skeptical about the adequacy of the funding. Pedwell, whose home was destroyed, believes the $20 million may not go far enough to cover the costs of clean-up and rebuilding. She points out that the dump is already running out of space and will need to be expanded to handle the debris from the fires. Lowe, another resident whose home was destroyed, is still waiting for the government to conduct an environmental assessment before cleanup can begin. She is concerned about the presence of carcinogens and other hazards in the ash left behind by the fire [1].

Class Action Lawsuit

Some residents are also seeking accountability for the government's response to the wildfires. Linda Lowe, who lost her home, is one of many residents who attended a webinar with Procido LLP regarding a potential class action lawsuit against the provincial government. Lowe believes that more resources could have been allocated to prevent the extensive damage caused by the fires. The class action lawsuit, if it proceeds, could take years to resolve and would only be successful if the firm wins [2].

Conclusion

The wildfires in Denare Beach have left the community in a state of emergency, with many residents still displaced and waiting for environmental assessments before they can begin rebuilding. While the provincial government's $20 million fund is a step in the right direction, residents are concerned about the adequacy of the funding and the government's response to the wildfires. A class action lawsuit could provide some measure of accountability and potentially help prevent similar disasters in the future.

References:
[1] https://www.ckom.com/2025/07/08/denare-beach-residents-have-mixed-reactions-on-govt-wildfire-funding/
[2] https://www.ckom.com/2025/07/10/residents-demand-answers-with-potential-class-action-lawsuit-against-sask-wildfire-response/