Wildfires have led to the evacuation of over 800 residents from the Wabaseemoong Independent Nation, located in northwestern Ontario, approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Kenora, near the Manitoba border. Chief Waylon Scott reported that while recent rain and cooler temperatures have helped to manage the situation, several wildfires still present a significant threat to the community.
During a video conference on Sunday, Chief Scott highlighted the efforts being made by firefighting crews to contain a 0.3-square-kilometer fire burning just over one kilometer from the community. He informed reporters that approximately 100 firefighters are working tirelessly to combat this fire, along with two larger blazes, one of which is spanning an area of 90 square kilometers and has already advanced toward the smaller fire.
To protect his community, Scott mentioned that sprinklers are currently installed around 80 percent of the buildings, with plans to equip every home within the next few days. The rapid onset of wildfires prompted evacuation alerts across northwestern Ontario last week, coinciding with the first heat wave of the season.
In addition to the challenges faced by Wabaseemoong, Manitoba has declared a state of emergency in one of its provincial parks due to multiple large fires affecting the region. As part of the evacuation efforts, about 800 residents of Wabaseemoong were transported to Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they are being accommodated in two hotels, with medical staff available on-site. A smaller group of evacuees headed to Winnipeg for safety.
Chief Scott recounted the urgency of the evacuation, noting that the fire near Kenora emerged suddenly and was not detected by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) prior to the evacuation alert. "We literally had hours to evacuate because the Kenora fire literally sprang up without anyone knowing," he remarked, describing the frightening experience of hearing the fire roar across the river.
Since taking office as chief in 2019, Scott has overseen three evacuations and six emergencies in the community. He expressed the emotional toll these repeated crises have taken on the residents, stating, "I can't explain what kind of toll it takes on them, but it does take a toll." He fears that moving forward, the community will always be on high alert each spring as the fire season approaches.
