Adam Yeadon died on the job 1 year ago. WSCC says it’s not laying workplace charges

A coroner’s investigation, meanwhile, is in its final stages

The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) is not laying charges after a wildland firefighter was killed on the job one year ago.

Adam Yeadon died after being hurt fighting fires near his home of Fort Liard on July 15, 2023. Family members said at the time the 25-year-old had been hit by a falling tree. They also said Yeadon had been fighting forest fires for the territory for several years and that he loved the work.

A spokesperson for the WSCC said in an email the results of their investigation would not be made public, since no charges were being laid, citing its confidentiality policies.

The N.W.T.’s chief coroner, meanwhile, continues his own investigation into what happened. Anthony Jones told CBC News his probe into Yeadon’s death was in its final stages and expected to be done in the next month.

The territory’s forestry division acknowledged the anniversary of Yeadon’s death in a Facebook post on Monday. It said family, friends and members of its team would be gathering in Fort Liard  “to be together, to remember, and to heal.”

“Though nothing will repair the hole his absence leaves in the lives of those who knew and loved him, our steadfast support remains with his family and friends as they navigate the difficult path forward,” the N.W.T. Fire post reads.

Contributions remembered 

In an emailed statement, Jay Macdonald, the territory’s minister of Environment and Climate Change said: “I think of Adam and his contributions to the N.W.T. often.”

Macdonald said Yeadon was “especially present” in his mind as Yeadon’s colleagues continue to protect communities from fires. “The effects of his passing will continue to ripple through the territory for years to come, and Adam’s dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said.

N.W.T. Fire said in its post that its message to staff everyday is about the “critical importance” of safety in the field.

It said a scholarship in Yeadon’s name, aimed at helping future forestry and wildfire management professionals access post-secondary education, would take its first applicants soon.

The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation will also honour Yeadon at a national memorial later this year, N.W.T. Fire said.

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Yukon workers’ compensation board in northern Canada working with outfitters to improve workplace safety, CBC News

Finland: Safety debate sparked in Arctic Finland after hunter shoots cyclist in national park, Yle News