'The government just needs to listen': First Nations bear brunt of wildfire crisis as communities burn

Indigenous communities in northern Ontario face disproportionate impacts from a devastating wildfire season, with residents of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (Collins First Nation) forced to flee by boat as flames destroyed homes and infrastructure. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says the crisis highlights long-standing gaps in emergency response, resources and wildfire preparedness for remote First Nations communities.

As an out-of-control wildfire tore through Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, residents grabbed what they could and escaped in boats with flames burning behind them. Others fled with only the clothes on their backs. By the time the smoke cleared, much of the remote community about 210 kilometres north of Thunder Bay had been destroyed.

The harrowing escape has become one of the defining images of Ontario's rapidly escalating wildfire emergency. But Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says Collins is far from the only community living through devastation. "Our hearts are with the leadership there and the people, and we're thankful that everyone got out safely," Fiddler told Yahoo News Canada.

"Tragically, everything is gone in their community. There is nothing left there." Nishnawbe Aski Nation represents 49 First Nations across northern Ontario, where dozens of communities are once again facing evacuations, road closures, dangerous smoke and growing uncertainty as wildfires rage out of control.

Wildfires cutting off food, power and medical care While much of the attention centres on homes and infrastructure destroyed by the fires, Grand Chief Fiddler says that's only part of the story. Road closures are disrupting food deliveries to remote First Nations. Lengthy power outages are adding to the uncertainty, while thick wildfire smoke is making everyday life dangerous, particularly for Elders and people with existing respiratory conditions.

"When a road is closed... communities aren't able to receive groceries and other essential supplies," Fiddler said, noting that Pickle Lake serves as a critical supply hub for many northern communities. "These are the types of calls we are getting from our leadership."

Fiddler shares his own community recently spent between 12 and 15 hours without electricity. "It's causing a lot of anxiety and stress." While much of southern Ontario has been focused on hazardous air quality alerts, Fiddler says conditions are even worse farther north.

"I know there's been a lot of focus on the poor air quality in Toronto," he said. "I am sure that the air quality in Mishkeegogamang or in Fort Hope is a lot worse than Toronto." 'No planes came' Fiddler says the current wildfire season is also exposing serious gaps in emergency response.

He points to Fort Hope, where leaders declared a state of emergency and identified roughly 200 vulnerable residents who needed to be evacuated first. "They were hoping to start moving them out yesterday," he said. "No planes came."

The next morning, he received messages from the chief saying conditions had worsened. "I think that's just indicative of just how ill-prepared the province is, along with the federal response," Fiddler said. "They're unable to react to these types of emergencies in real time."

Communities are watching forests, wildlife, medicines and culturally significant lands disappear in the flames. "It's not just losing infrastructure," Fiddler said. "We worry about the land, we worry about our water.

We worry about the animals and the medicines that are in our lands. Everything is just being devastated." He believes Indigenous knowledge should play a much greater role in preventing catastrophic wildfire seasons.

Fiddler criticized what he sees as a long-standing reluctance to include First Nations in forest management decisions. "The Ministry of Natural Resources thinks they knew everything about how to manage waters and forests and trees," he said. "Their policies... go to the opposite of what we think should be done to better manage and sustain our forests and our water."

Asked what that failure looks like today, his answer was simple. "You're seeing it right now on social media with all these pictures... with all the fires and the smoke and just eerie-looking pictures from so many of our communities." 'The government just needs to listen': Calls grow for long-term wildfire support In the days after Collins Lake was devastated by wildfire, both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged support for northern communities facing the crisis.

Ford told reporters that "we will spare no expense to protect communities from wildfires." But Grand Chief Fiddler says those commitments need to go beyond emergency response after communities have already been threatened or destroyed. He says First Nations need long-term investments that build the capacity to respond before fires become catastrophic.

"I'm hoping that people, Ontario, Canada will look at what's happening today and work with us more closely," Fiddler said. He says one solution is bringing back locally based wildfire crews in First Nations communities, with trained members and equipment ready to respond as soon as fires first emerge. "Before, our people would be trained to fight forest fires," he said.

"They would have the equipment. They were part of a crew stationed in their communities." Fiddler said those programs have faded over time, leaving communities more vulnerable when fires spread quickly across remote areas.

With wildfire season only halfway through July, Fiddler warns that communities could be facing more challenges in the months ahead. "We still have the rest of July, then August, and possibly into the fall," he said. "The way things are going right now, we cannot sustain our efforts to fight these fires or to support the evacuees... Everyone needs to step up."

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