The Association of Yukon Firefighters and Chiefs

09/12/2026

A huge thank you to Chief Reilly and the Atlin Fire Department, the community of Atlin, the Atlin Historical Society, and the Atlin Recreation Centre for hosting an incredible 2026 AYFC Conference.

This year’s conference was truly one of our best, and so much of that was thanks to the tremendous effort, hospitality and generosity of our hosts.

From live entertainment and a movie at the historic Globe Theatre, to a boat outing and an afternoon on a beautiful island beach, Atlin gave our members an experience we won’t soon forget. The Recreation Centre was a fantastic home for our conference, and our closing dinner aboard the historic M.V. Tarahne was the perfect way to finish an amazing week.

We also want to thank TRTFN for providing Wednesday evening’s meal and Big Lake Wholistic Bakehouse for keeping everyone well fed throughout the rest of the conference. The food all week was outstanding.

A tremendous amount of work went on behind the scenes to make this conference happen. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and welcomed us into the community.

Atlin was an amazing host, and we couldn’t have asked for a better place to bring the Yukon fire service together.

From all of us at the AYFC, thank you, Atlin!

08/29/2026

Hands-on training at Fire Rescue Yukon 2026!

A highlight of this year's AYFC conference was two full days of hands-on vehicle extrication training with Jason Defosse and Dustin Miedema of Defosse Extrication & Consulting Inc.

Firefighters worked through advanced extrication techniques involving conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles, with plenty of hands-on opportunities throughout the weekend.

A huge thank you to Jason and Dustin for travelling to Atlin and sharing their knowledge and experience with our firefighters.

We also want to thank Associated Fire Safety and Rocky Mountain Phoenix for providing equipment and expertise that helped make the practical training sessions possible.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a great training experience!

08/27/2026

A great week in Atlin with a great group!

Fire Rescue Yukon 2026 brought firefighters, fire chiefs, instructors, partners, suppliers and members of the fire service together for several days of training, learning and collaboration.

Thank you to everyone who travelled to join us and helped make this year's conference such a success. Events like this are about more than training. They're an opportunity to build relationships, share experiences and strengthen the fire service across the Yukon and beyond.

We couldn't have asked for a better group to spend the week with. Thank you to everyone who was part of Fire Rescue Yukon 2026!

08/27/2026

Congratulations Jeff Stephenson – 2026 Hestia Award Recipient!

The Association of Yukon Firefighters and Chiefs is very proud to congratulate Jeff Stephenson on receiving the 2026 Hestia Award at Fire Rescue Yukon 2026 in Atlin.
Jeff has been an active member of the Klondike Valley Fire Department since 1992, dedicating more than three decades to serving his community and the Yukon fire service. Throughout those years, Jeff has responded when his community needed him, helped residents prepare for emergencies, supported his fellow firefighters and mentored the next generation of the fire service.
Jeff is also a valued member of the AYFC Board of Directors and has been a strong supporter of cooperation and advancement of the fire service across the Yukon.
The Hestia Award recognizes exceptional commitment, courage and leadership within the Yukon fire service. We can think of few people more deserving of that recognition.
Congratulations Jeff, and thank you for more than 30 years of service, leadership and dedication to your community and the Yukon fire service!

Jeff Stephenson receiving the Hestia Award from Minister of Community Services Cory Bellmore and Yukon Fire Marshal Wini Brehm.

07/08/2026

New and Existing Membership Renewals

Join Here or Click Above for Fiscal 2026

https://forms.gle/UukBziqXMFVwCeH4A

Conference Registration Link Coming Soon

Individual membership in the Association of Yukon Firefighters and Chiefs (AYFC) costs $50. Please fill out the form below to sign up. Once we have received your registration and payment, we will respond by email with confirmation of membership. Individual members have voting rights in the AYFC and....

04/22/2026

AYFC Executive members met with Minister Cory Bellmore last week to discuss the current state of the Yukon fire service and the issues being experienced by departments across the territory.

The conversation focused on training, equipment, and overall system support.

We appreciate the opportunity to have a direct discussion and look forward to continuing the conversation and seeing progress on the areas raised.

12/14/2025

Earlier this month, AYFC President Warren Zakus attended federal fire-service meetings in Ottawa, joining more than 50 fire chiefs from across Canada.

I met with Yukon MP Dr. Brendan Hanley and several other MPs to discuss CAFC priorities and share Yukon’s perspective on current fire-service needs.

AYFC extends thanks to the MPs who took the time to meet with us.

11/23/2025

AYFC congratulates Cory Bellmore on being sworn in today as Yukon’s new Minister of Community Services.

AYFC President Warren Zakus attended the ceremony at the Yukon Arts Centre, and the AYFC looks forward to developing a positive and collaborative working relationship with Minister Bellmore as we continue advancing fire-service priorities across the territory.

11/09/2025

Representing Yukon at the NFPA Fire Chief’s Forum

This week, AYFC President Warren Zakus attended the NFPA Fire Chief’s Forum in Boston, representing the Association of Yukon Firefighters & Chiefs.

The forum brought together fire service leaders from across North America to discuss key issues including:
• NFPA standards development
• Construction fire lessons from Boston & Charlotte
• Wildfire response in Los Angeles
• The Global Assault on Safety
• The Single Stair Conundrum – a growing concern in building design and firefighter safety

AYFC’s participation helps ensure Yukon’s fire service remains connected to national and international best practices in safety, leadership, and operations.