Alberta’s forestry ministry is facing six workplace safety charges following the death of a wildland firefighter during the Jasper wildfire two years ago.
The charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act were laid on July 29, just a few days away from the second anniversary of Morgan Kitchen’s death.
Kitchen, 24, was killed on Aug. 3, 2024, while helping battle the July 2024 wildfire in Jasper National Park that destroyed hundreds of buildings in the townsite.
He was fatally injured after being hit by a falling tree.
The Calgary resident had a “bold and brilliant” personality, a nimble wit and an “outrageous and ridiculous” sense of humour, a memorial post circulating on social media at the time indicated.
It said Kitchen was a much-loved character who gave the best hugs and brought “streams of adventure, joy and fun.”
Kitchen also served with the Canadian Armed Forces, having joined as a primary reservist in February 2020 and serving as an infantry private with the Calgary Highlanders.
The charges against the Ministry of Forestry and Parks allege Kitchen’s employer “failed to ensure the safety of workers” by not adequately assessing and controlling hazards arising from dangerous trees.
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The charges also claim the province failed to adequately establish and maintain an area excluding workers “from a hazardous place or a place that had not yet been adequately assessed.”
The province was also accused of not adequately training workers.
“We are aware that Occupational Health and Safety charges have been laid against Alberta Forestry and Parks. As this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of the allegations or the legal proceedings,” Arthur Green, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forestry and Parks, told Global News in an email.
“Our thoughts remain with our Alberta Wildfire colleague’s family, friends and co-workers. Safety is our highest priority.
“We remain committed to providing a safe workplace for our staff.”
The union that represented Kitchen said on Wednesday it welcomed the charges.
“We are grateful that the government is being held accountable for the tragic death of AUPE member Morgan Kitchen, who died while fighting a fire in Jasper in 2024,” said James Gault, vice-president with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).
“For years, we have warned of the unnecessary hazards wildland firefighters face and the dangers they deal with every day. The government can do better, and it must do better.
“Serious action is needed to protect those who risk their lives to protect us.”
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On July 22, 2024, a swiftly-racing wildfire forced 25,000 visitors and town residents to leave, jumping in their cars in the dark of night to flee to safety on one smoke-choked highway.
Two days after the park was emptied of all but essential and emergency workers, shifting winds and towers of flame showered the townsite with embers that lit new fires — destroying a third of all structures in a capricious assault that left intact homes standing alongside piles of rubble.
Kitchen was part of a Alberta Wildfire crew working to fight the inferno. He was from Calgary and based out of the Rocky Mountain House fire base.
The 24-year-old was rushed by stretcher to a helipad and flown out by STARS air ambulance but pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
“We must remember that Morgan Kitchen was a person, not just a tragic statistic,” Gault said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his work colleagues, who lost a loved one two years ago this week.”
I don’t want to make light of this tragedy, but in this specific case, wouldn’t his employer have been the federal gov’t?
Instead of the government suing the government with all the legal fees, wouldn’t it be better to give the money to the family?