Ontario First Nation residents take shelter in Toronto-area amid wildfires

On benches outside a hotel near Toronto Pearson International Airport sits members of Deer Lake First Nation.

“We don’t know when we’ll be going home,” said Don Meekis, who has been staying in the Toronto-area since the end of May when his wildfire-stricken community was given evacuation notice.

“First couple of days was hard, but after a while it started getting easier. … Lots of help coming around.”

He is one of thousands of residents from Northern Ontario who have been forced to flee their homes due to the wildfires.

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“I saw there was flames, 50-foot flames close to our homes,” Meekis recalled. “So many communities close by are getting evacuated too.”

According to the Canadian Red Cross, its services were requested.

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“At the request of ISN Maskwa, the Canadian Red Cross is providing support to individuals from Deer Lake First Nation which includes registration, reception and information, and personal services,” a spokesperson told Global News.

Meekis said that everybody is chipping in and keeping in high spirits, although, the rushed evacuations meant no time to prepare or even grab spare clothes.

“I need a new pair of shoes,” he said. “Size 10.”

He’s been wearing the same pair of Croc clogs that he left home in since May 30.

Additionally, many members of the fly-in community had no choice but to leave pets behind.

“They told us three to four weeks when they told us we were getting evacuated,” Meekis said. “Now, we don’t know what’s happening because that fire is still not under control. It’s still pretty much active.”

Dietary restrictions have been difficult for many evacuees, and not having access to personal kitchens has people missing simple pleasures — including homemade bannock.

Luckily, a hotel chef has done their best to take suggestions during mealtimes.

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“Perhaps if we had more capacity, more infrastructure to be able to fight these forest fires, we could have perhaps avoided this,” said Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa.

He believes building capacity should be a priority in tackling the growing wildfire concern.