A group of First Nations leaders in Manitoba is calling for better prevention plans when it comes to wildfires and says provincial and federal responses to the crisis have failed.
More than 6,000 people were forced to evacuate from communities like Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake and Wasagamack due to encroaching fires. The Anisininew Okimawin executive council, which represents those communities, spoke to media Friday morning about their concerns.
The leaders are calling for a series of ‘co-ordinated demands,’ including the recognition of the Island Lake region as an emergency zone, emergency infrastructure, an all-season road and a permanent evacuation strategy.
Chiefs of all four communities, alongside Anisininew Okimawin Grand Chief Alex McDougall, outlined their demands from the organization’s office in Winnipeg.
McDougall said government response to emergencies in the communities — even prior to the current wildfire crisis — has been a cycle of failure that needs to stop.
“Our people have endured too much for too long,” he said. “From 2009 to 2022, there have been more than 1,300 emergencies in First Nations communities, forcing over 580 evacuations.
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“This is unacceptable and we demand that emergency response investments are made to Anisininew nations, which is only one small component of our unfinished business.
“Our chiefs and Anisininew nations are saying to Canada, ‘the cycle ends now’.”
First Nations, McDougall said, are disproportionately harmed by wildfires caused by climate change. He’s calling for more fire breaks, investments in community-led fire suppression teams and the prioritization of fire prevention.
In a statement, Manitoba’s Minister of Natural Resources Ian Bushie says, “The province has been working closely with Indigenous leadership, and has been in constant contact with communities throughout this wildfire season.”
We acknowledge that challenges remain, particularly when it comes to long-term infrastructure,” Bushie adds. “Given the scale of this year’s wildfires, there will be thorough assessments, and we are committed to taking lessons from this season and applying them to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and emergency management across Manitoba.”
Meanwhile, Indigenous Services Canada says in a statement: “ISC will continue to work with First Nations to build back better and prepare for possible future wildfires. Building back better means funding weather resistant infrastructure, resistant infrastructure, including residential housing, to be more resilient to fire and flood damage.”
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