Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise again today to express my respect and appreciation for the dedicated people who keep community fire departments operating in the Deh Cho region. These people undertake training, volunteering their time and risk their lives to keep their fellow citizens safe from harm. They are on call to work at any time of the day or night and often in the harshest winter weather conditions.

In addition to fighting fires, volunteer fire fighters in the Deh Cho communities such as Enterprise and Fort Providence also serve as first responders to emergencies on the highway. As if it weren't enough, today I want to pay tribute to the community of Enterprise for another notable achievement. On January 10th, the hamlet was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as the first community in the Northwest Territories to achieve official FireSmart recognition.

Mr. Speaker, the momentum that led to this milestone started in the spring of 2017, when Enterprise won $500 from FireSmart Canada for a wildfire community preparedness day event. This event prompted the enthusiasm of the community and leaders and volunteers and resulted in establishing of the local FireSmart committee. The committee conducted a wildfire hazard assessment and created a FireSmart plan for Enterprise. The local volunteers went to work participating in the community, a wide cleanup of potential volatile fire hazards from the community's boundaries.

Mr. Speaker, the summer of 2014 was the worst wildfire season in the NWT in 30 years. It reminded us that wildfires pose a serious threat to our communities. I want to acknowledge and congratulate those individuals in Enterprises who took the initiative to make their community a safer place to live, including, my apologies if I mispronounce the names, the FireSmart committee: Tammy Neal, SAO; Blair Porter, fire chief; Brandon Kimball, volunteer fire fighter, FireSmart and community liason this summer, Brandon Kimball, Michael Kimball, Nicholas Kimball, Lynn Ecoheena, and Jimmy Carpenter. Also involved were Leslie Steed, the wildfire risk management coordinator, and Amber Simpson, wildfire prevention coordinator. These dedicated folks have made Enterprise an example of how small communities across the NWT can reduce the risks posed by wildfires. I want to join the Minister of ENR in congratulating them on their achievement. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.