Wildfire personnel honoured for work 

Two assistant deputy ministers, and wildfire service and emergency management personnel, have been awarded the Order of the Buffalo Hunt for their work during one of the worst fire seasons in Manitoba’s history.

Premier Wab Kinew inducted Kristin Hayward of the Manitoba Wildfire Service and Christine Stevens of the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization alongside the personnel at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Thursday.

“From the first sparks to the continuing fight against wildfires, these Manitoba heroes worked around the clock to protect communities, homes and lives. I want to thank every firefighter, every emergency worker, and every volunteer who stood on the front lines and behind the scenes,” Kinew said in a news release. “Manitobans can take pride in knowing when disaster strikes, we have people of extraordinary skill and heart answering the call.”

Members of the order, established in 1957, are given a certificate signed by the premier and sealed with the Great Seal of Manitoba. Kinew has previously inducted first responders for their work at the scene of a deadly highway crash north of Carberry in June 2023 and a sword attack that injured a student at a Brandon high school this June.