Docuseries features Saskatchewan’s northern emergency responders

Creative Saskatchewan and Wavelength Entertainment, along with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), are celebrating the premiere of a new television docuseries Guardians of the North, which was filmed in the province.

The docuseries follows wildland firefighters in Saskatchewan’s Indigenous and northern communities while they protect the people, property, and resources of the north. The first of six episodes aired March 7 on City TV Saskatchewan.

“Protecting the north requires several partners working hand-in-hand to help mitigate, protect and respond when needed,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell said. “Nobody can do it alone. We are grateful for the highly trained men and women who dedicate themselves to providing the best protection possible in our province.”

Guardians of the North features personnel from the SPSA, Muskoday First Nations Fire Department and Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management (FNEM) as they train for and battle wildfires on the ground and from the air during the summer of 2022. The MCCAFE wildfire near Stanley Mission, which burnt more than 12,000 hectares, is featured in the show.

“It was an honour for us to embed with the brave men and women as they worked tirelessly battling fires in extreme conditions with the express goal of protecting the North,” Producer for Guardians of the North Chris Triffo said. “We are grateful to have collaborated with SPSA, SFNEM, Creative Saskatchewan and City TV on this exciting docuseries.”

Guardians of the North was a recipient of Creative Saskatchewan’s Feature Film and TV Production grant. The $276,000 investment is expected to see an estimated $1.3 million of economic outputs back into Saskatchewan.

“We’re thrilled to be able to support this project,” Creative Saskatchewan CEO Erin Dean said. “The film industry has an inspiring ability to capture important stories and showcase our incredible landscape to the world through cinematography, and the 200 days of production activity have a positive impact on the local economy while creating jobs.”

“Productions like Guardians of the North are what many hoped to see when our government announced increased investments to grow our film industry last spring,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. “This is a Saskatchewan story through and through. Every $1 invested into this project is expected to generate an economic output of $4.65, resulting in a significant and lasting impact on Saskatchewan’s tourism, hospitality and trade industries.”