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EDMONTON — Alberta’s Ministry of Forestry and Parks is facing six charges under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act following the 2024 death of a wildland firefighter during the Jasper wildfire.
The charges, laid July 29, allege the ministry failed to adequately assess and control workplace hazards, properly train workers and take reasonable precautions to protect firefighters from dangerous trees.
The charges stem from the death of Morgan Kitchen, 24, of Calgary, who was fatally struck by a falling tree on Aug. 3, 2024, while battling the wildfire that destroyed about one-third of Jasper’s structures and forced the evacuation of roughly 25,000 residents and visitors.
Kitchen, a member of an Alberta Wildfire crew based out of Rocky Mountain House, was given first aid at the scene before being flown by STARS Air Ambulance. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees said the charges reflect the risks wildland firefighters face and called for stronger measures to improve worker safety. The provincial government said it could not comment on the allegations while the matter is before the courts, but reiterated its commitment to workplace safety and extended its condolences to Kitchen’s family, friends and co-workers.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. The ministry’s first court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 24 in Jasper.
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