As new wildfires are discovered in northwestern Ontario during a week of devastation, evacuations have begun for members of Eabametoong First Nation, a fly-in community over 300 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The First Nation confirmed on social media that transporting people from the community began on Saturday, with seven flights carrying roughly 460 members to Niagara Falls.
Six further flights are expected to depart Sunday, bringing the total to be evacuated in the first phase to about 600.
“A huge thank you to all of our staff and members who have stepped up to support our Elders, children, and those most vulnerable,” the social media post reads. “The wildfires in the area continue to pose a major risk to community health and safety due to their unpredictability. Please continue praying for Eabametoong First Nation and all other Nations that are impacted due to the wildfires.”
The latest evacuations come as over a dozen communities are under mandatory orders to leave communities threatened by the wildfires. They include Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, in northwestern Ontario. Namaygoosisagagun was destroyed earlier this week as community members were forced to evacuate on their own.
On Friday morning, the province issued an evacuation order for an area near the Fort Frances 14 fire, which is slightly more than 55,000 hectares in size and was not under control as of Saturday morning.
People in the area of Baril, Bedivere and Windigoostigwan lakes and Lac des Mille Lacs have been told to leave immediately, unless they have a travel permit issued by Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF).
The Canadian Red Cross said it was setting up a response team at the Fort Williams Garden Arena in Thunder Bay to help evacuees.
The nine new fires in northwestern Ontario bring the total in that region to 138, according to the provincial Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) agency.
The AFFES gave details about eight of the nine new fires in northwestern Ontario (covering an area of roughly 3,413 hectares):
One additional fire was also discovered in northeastern Ontario on Saturday. Wawa 28, which measures 0.1 hectares, was 17 kilometres northeast of Missanabie on Saturday night.
In total, the AFFES says, 54 active wildfires are in the northeast of the province, six fewer than the agency’s previous update.
In total, 189 wildfires were actively burning across northern Ontario mid-Saturday afternoon.
The AFFES has confirmed that incident management teams have been mobilized to the Fort Frances and Thunder Bay sectors to assume responsibility for managing the large-scale incidents in the region, specifically Fort Frances 14, Fort Frances 15 and Thunder Bay 36.
In a statement from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), a spokesperson stressed the department’s concern about how the wildfires may be impacting the health, safety and well-being of people in First Nations.
“We know emergencies like these can be stressful and disruptive for individuals, families and communities,” an ISC statement said. “Timely evacuations help protect lives and well-being, and we recognize the efforts of First Nation leadership as they work diligently to protect their members. ISC is working closely with First Nations leadership, Ontario and emergency management partners to support the immediate and evolving needs of impacted communities.
“Emergency management in Canada is a shared responsibility between federal, provincial and territorial governments and partners, including Indigenous leadership and third-party service providers. As emergencies most often occur locally, the initial first response is always from the local, or provincial or territorial authority,” the statement noted.
“ISC plays a supporting role to assist First Nations in their decision-making process during emergency situations. We work closely with First Nations leadership, the province and other third-party providers to ensure rapid access to supports.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke in Thunder Bay on Saturday, and confirmed at a news conference that over 155 fire crews are on the ground helping in the efforts, with more than 80 aircraft deployed.
“Our focus continues to be sending resources to the areas where fire suppression is most likely to be successful and where they can make the biggest impact, keeping people and communities safe,” Ford said.
He said 40 additional aircraft are on standby for suppression efforts, while warning those affected by the wildfires against returning to campsites and homes if they’ve been ordered to evacuate.
The AFFES confirmed additional support, including helicopters, aircraft and aerial support personnel, had arrived from Alberta and Yukon.
Other communities that have been ordered to evacuate include:
Several other communities and areas that have also been told about potential evacuations include:
Despite strong signals of support from Ford and various federal and provincial ministers on Saturday, many Indigenous leaders feel there’s a lack of communication between government officials and First Nations.
Wilfred King, chief of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, said he spoke to Ford on Saturday, addressing what he perceived as a communication breakdown.
“We were trying to get an update in terms of the situation to our community, and we were given information that was three days old as of yesterday,” King told CBC News. “Very hard to get staff people from the ministries on board and have that communication with them.”
Orange air quality alerts, issued when the Air Quality Health Index reaches the very high risk level of 10+, are in effect for:
A number of communities, previously listed with orange air quality warnings, including Armstrong, Kenora, Fort Frances and Sioux Narrows, are now listed with a yellow air quality warning (a level down from orange).
Monica Vaswani, a meterologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), told CBC that a number of severe thunderstorm watches are in effect across northwestern Ontario.
“The risk associated with those severe thunderstorms …. includes winds gusts up to 100 kilometers per hour and quarter-sized hail,” Vaswani said. “The timing for the potential for the severe weather is basically anywhere from this morning into this evening.”
Vaswani added that Thunder Bay and others currently experiencing orange air quality warnings could see air quality improve by Sunday afternoon.
The air quality issues have led to a number of services, programs and events being suspended, cancelled or shut down.
All outdoor pools, beaches and splash pads run by the City of Thunder Bay have been closed, as have Chapples and Strathcona golf courses, the Centennial Botanical Conservatory, all washroom facilities in public parks and outdoor marina services.
Parks and playfields are open, but not staffed, and programs and activities are being moved indoors where possible.
Residential garbage collection is continuing — the city said there may be delays — but business and multi-residential garbage collection has been suspended.
Essential city services, including transit and emergency services, are running.
‘Good news and bad news:’ What Thunder Bay, Ont., can expect related to air quality over next 36 hours
Fort William Historical Park has also cancelled Celtic Day that was scheduled to take place Sunday.
