Members of the Saskatchewan Dragoons platoon
They're back from fighting the fires and while it's a tragic situation, the experience was one that at least member of the Saskatchewan Dragoons is proud of.
Corporal Rowan Smith was one of the local soldiers deployed over a week ago to help with the more than 100 wild fires. While there are still fires burning, officials say the majority of communities that were threatened, are now safe and almost all residents have returned home.
His job was to find hot spots or smaller fires and put them out.
"The main danger of forest fires is that they're going to spear across the land. What that does is that it stops them from spreading by being able to spread their embers and then start major burns beyond the burn lines. I was taught while walking through the forest as a small child to not break a twig because it's part of the forest and now see all the area that's been decimated."
Smith says it was quite the experience.
"I was pretty amazed how well the system worked and how well organized it was as well as how hard everyone worked. I worked as part of a platoon carrying a shovel, a pulaski, which is like an axe, or a backpack with water. We would go out and try to patrol the burn area to find small fires, then put them out as a team."
He says he was happy to help out.
"It's pretty amazing to be able to help out and after joining the military about 5 years ago. It's fantastic to be able to do something that affects Canadians lives and really helps out with the effort."