While Cree leaders are relieved that the region has so far been largely spared from wildfires this summer, Western Canada hasn’t been so lucky. Heavy smoke from fires in the prairie provinces has drifted into Eeyou Istchee, causing occasional health advisories.
Waswanipi’s public safety department issued a smoke advisory July 13. With hazy conditions impacting air quality and visibility, community members were advised to limit time outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, and use air purifiers or air conditioning on recirculate mode.
“The Cree Health Board monitors the air quality through Purple Air [sensors] set up in each community,” explained regional fire coordinator Lee-Roy Blacksmith. “They started installing community air quality devices in 2023 due to asthma, Elders and infants.”
These sensors send air quality data to a centralized map, which displays an Air Quality Health Index to determine the extent of health risk. The record-breaking 2023 wildfire season impacted over 11% of the land and nearly 60% of traplines throughout Eeyou Istchee, destroying 150 bush cabins and forcing numerous community evacuations.
With the resources of provincial forest firefighting agency SOPFEU overwhelmed by that year’s unprecedented damage, many people were upset that certain areas weren’t considered priorities for intervention. Firefighters in Eastmain had wanted to battle an approaching blaze but were advised not to by SOPFEU, resulting in the community being evacuated.
Quebec responded by investing $29 million in SOPFEU over five years, for a hiring blitz, new equipment and prevention initiatives. SOPFEU is also working with the Cree Nation to train additional firefighters in all Cree communities.
“We have eight new forest firefighters doing our training right now and possibly four others who are getting recertified,” said Clarence Jason Jolly, Nemaska’s director of public health and safety. “They’re out there working on the fire pumps – I’d say we’re well prepared.”
Jolly said their department is able to fight fires up to 30 km from the community, as long as SOPFEU is informed and sufficient resources are available. SOPFEU will intervene with water bombers within this radius or if they threaten “priority infrastructure” like the nearby Hydro-Québec substation.
Situated beside a lake with a river behind the community, Nemaska has not installed further protections like a fire break. However, two of these strips of land cleared of combustible vegetation were built near Old Nemaska, where the community hosts summer gatherings.
“We’ll be getting more sophisticated drones for our area, including training,” added Jolly. “If we were able to report any fires to SOPFEU by drone, it certainly saves them the time and money rather than sending a plane. We’re adapting to the technology and able to monitor the weather a lot better.”
Drone technology is rapidly advancing to detect and suppress fires before they spread. These remotely piloted vehicles can serve as emergency first responders, picking up and dropping water autonomously, providing real-time images of inaccessible areas, and locating missing persons.
“Drones help us at forest fire hot spots where it’s not accessible and also help on fire investigations or search and rescue,” explained Blacksmith. “Drones have all this high technology, like heat sensors and infrared. Drones can carry items like life jackets and buoys that can be dropped and also speak with the person.”
Firefighters across the region are implementing a range of tools and strategies to better ensure community safety. A Cree Nation Fire Master Plan is being developed with Waswanay Consulting, identifying areas of heightened risk where communities are not yet prepared to intervene, such as airports.
“As communities expand rapidly, it affects fire protection, resources and training,” said former regional fire prevention officer George Cox, who recently transitioned to community public safety. “Sometimes a large fire was out of control and departments had to shut off operations because they were emptying out the water reservoir of the community.”
Chisasibi declared a state of emergency in June when lightning struck their water treatment plant while river levels were already critically low. While fires burned the week before and after the crisis, Chief Daisy House was thankful that none occurred when water was unavailable.
Blacksmith said one fire remains active north of Chisasibi around the Rupert trapline but is expected to be extinguished by rain. Caused by lightning on June 10, it has burned slowly and isn’t considered a threat to the community.
The Fire Master Plan will detail how to access water resources during such a crisis through dry hydrants that can be installed near lakes or rivers. These non-pressurized tools involve permanently installed pipes, providing firefighters a reliable water source.
Fire prevention officers from all Cree communities are participating in a unique mentorship program this summer with Ontario fire departments to learn about early detection systems, inspections and public education programs. Waskaganish fire investigator Tyler Diamond even assisted an active scene in St. Catharines, Ontario.
“It builds their confidence to do the work in their community,” Cox said. “If we learned it all by ourselves it would probably take over a decade, so having this mentorship we can learn from people with 20 or 30 years of experience in the field.”
A similar program is planned for community fire chiefs, deputy fire chiefs, captains and lieutenants. Another initiative called Fire Smart is an online training program which offers guidelines for mitigating risk, such as having smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and two doors in bush cabins.
A model cabin to demonstrate safety tips was featured at last fall’s Fire and Life Symposium in Mistissini. Another symposium will be in Wemindji this September, where the Cree Health Board, SOPFEU and police services are expected to attend.