Devyn Gale, a young Revelstoke wildfire fighter who died in the line of duty in July, was recently honoured posthumously by a national women’s magazine where she was named among the 2023 Doris Anderson Award recipients.
For the past three years, Chatelaine has recognized Canadians who ‘make [them] feel better about the world’ with the Doris Anderson Awards. Doris Anderson took over the role of editor of the magazine in 1957, leading to a paradigm shift in the types of stories that Chatelaine published. She is credited with having been the architect of the modern Chatelaine coverage that deals with a wide range of critical subjects.
Gale was listed among the 10 honourees for this year’s Doris Anderson Awards. As part of the award, Chatelaine’s Trina Moyles gave a brief description of Gale, supported by interviews with her peers.
“Gale was a role model, always looking out for the new recruits, offering advice and encouragement. She even inspired her siblings to become firefighters, too,” said Moyles.
Gale died while working as a member of the British Columbia Wildfire Services (BCWS) near Revelstoke during Canada’s worst wildfire season on record.
Days after Gale’s death, another firefighter perished while battling flames in B.C.
Kelowna’s Zak Muise, 25, died July 29, as he fought the massive Donnie Creek wildfire in northeastern B.C.
In B.C., the fire damage from the 2023 wildfire season burned more than three million hectares — more than twice that of the second-worst season on record.
Gale’s death was a shock to her friends and family, BCWS, and the entire community of Revelstoke.
Moyles wrote that Gale’s crew members honour her with a ‘Gale Force’ badge that they wear on their uniforms — many businesses and organizations in Revelstoke display the same symbol as a sign of the community’s ongoing respect for the young woman.
Other recipients of the Doris Anderson Award include Connie Walker, Jully Black, Carley Fortune, Rachel Manko Lutz, Miranda Gould, Lana Payne, Diana Matheson, Rechie Valdez, and the ‘Black Queens of Durham Region’. The recipients earned their awards for outstanding work within their respective fields. From journalists to singers — from clothiers to professional athletes, the recipients all have their own merits for earning their awards.
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