Calling for help

The chief of a First Nation not recognized by the federal government says her community has been left on its own to deal with the threat of forest fires.

Whitewater Lake First Nation, which lies in Wabakimi Wilderness Park north of Armstrong, had to be evacuated on the community’s own dime on Sunday. Chief Arlene Slipperjack said three community members were left behind to battle four forest fires that are burning less than a kilometre away.

"They’ve been there all week and they’re still there now," Slipperjack told media while in Thunder Bay Thursday afternoon. "We’ve had no relief from anybody and now we really don’t have the resources to bring a whole crew in of people to help with the fire situation."
When she contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources, Slipperjack said she was told that there were no resources available to help.

"I asked them how we were going to get our people out and they said that it was up to me," Slipperjack said.

The fires started about two weeks ago.

"Now it’s right behind our community. It’s full of smoke and people can’t even see in the yard anymore it’s so full of smoke," she said.

Slipperjack added that she hopes some level of government can help, but she’s not optimistic.

The MNR did provide a sprinkler system for the community’s 15 buildings, but the pumps didn’t work so members of Whitewater said they were forced to purchase new ones.

While she had heard reports of a water bomber working near the area, Slipperjack said without crews on the ground to battle the fires, she doesn’t know how much help the airstrike will be.

"We had to expend a lot of resources ourselves.”

Nishnawbe Aski Nation recognizes the community of 110 registered members, 25 of whom were there at the time of the evacuation. But even though NAN recognizes the community, the federal government does not.

According to Slipperjack, that means that Whitewater Lake is neglected.

"We’ve been kind of left out of the picture. They don’t tend to our needs on anything. We have a lot of history there and you can see it on the ground.”

MNR’s Thunder Bay fire operations manager Steve Hill said the area north of Armstrong is starting to get busy in terms of fires. There are nine in the area, with one more than 16,000 hectares large.

Though some are left to burn naturally for ecological reasons, fires that threaten camping outposts are being monitored. Buildings in those areas are also being equipped with sprinkler systems.

The MNR has also told owners of those camps to get their clients out of the area.
A water bomber started over the area Thursday with an eight-person management team expected Friday.

Hill said along with fires in Red Lake and Sioux Lookout Districts this has been the busiest fire season he’s seen in 15 years.

Several calls placed to the MNR to speak directly about the situation in Whitewater First Nation were not returned.