As wildfires rage uncontrollably near Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, Chief Wilfred King expresses concerns about residents returning home prematurely. The First Nation, also known as Gull Bay, has been in a state of emergency since mid-July, leading to around 200 community members being displaced in Thunder Bay.
Situated off Highway 527, the community has faced prolonged closure of the road between Thunder Bay and Armstrong due to the looming wildfire threats. Chief King fears that the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Ontario may relax the restrictions aimed at safeguarding communities as temperatures lower and forest fire risks diminish in the region.
North of Gull Bay First Nation, Thunder Bay 36, the largest wildfire in the province, remains uncontrolled, spanning over 306,000 hectares. To the southwest lie wildfires Dryden 34 (over 46,000 hectares), Dryden 35 (over 31,500 hectares), and Thunder Bay 56 (nearly 8,000 hectares), collectively known as the Rinker Lake Complex.
The Ontario Forest Fires’ website reports that multiple firefighting crews from Ontario, Alberta, Mexico, heavy equipment operators, pilots, and staff from Ontario and Québec are actively engaged in combating the Rinker Lake Complex fires. Their efforts are primarily focused on establishing hoselines, patrolling for and extinguishing hot spots, and installing and maintaining values protection equipment across the affected areas.
Despite forest fire hazards being low across most of the northwest as of Tuesday afternoon, areas of moderate to high hazard near the Ontario-Manitoba border persist. Chief King emphasized the community’s unease being surrounded by wildfires and stressed the need for fire control measures to address their concerns.
CBC News sought a comment from the MNR regarding Gull Bay’s apprehensions, prompting a response from spokesperson Mike Fenn assuring that changes to evacuation orders would only occur when the fires no longer pose a threat to communities, based on expert advice on fire behavior.
Regarding evacuations, approximately 1,653 people remain displaced due to wildfires in the region, down from over 2,800 evacuated during peak wildfire activity last month. Chief King highlighted various considerations influencing the potential lifting of restrictions, emphasizing the importance of public safety, containment progress, operational needs, and safe access to impacted areas.
While the community members eagerly await their return, Chief King emphasized the necessity of patience as leaders evaluate the situation to prevent repeated evacuations. Calls for a public inquiry into the Ontario government’s wildfire response have been reiterated by First Nation chiefs, underscoring the need for accountability and measures to avert similar incidents in the future.