A study in comparisons

I would like you to take into account that there has been minimal to no government or military response so far to two First Nations communities that have been completely razed, and 13 communities evacuated.

First Nations in northwestern Ontario are executing large-scale, mandatory evacuations using airlifts and boats due to severe wildfires. Evacuees are being transported to host municipalities including Niagara Falls and Thunder Bay. Due to overwhelming capacity, some evacuees face temporary challenges securing local accommodations and are awaiting relocation.

Evacuees are also facing severe discrimination and hardships in the cities where they have been evacuated, with even political leaders displaying overt racism towards First Nations people evacuated to their cities.

The logistical, accommodation, and emergency response frameworks for these evacuations seem to be an afterthought for the governments:

• Transportation: The Ontario government, supported by the Canadian Armed Forces, is reported to be airlifting only some residents in certain communities—particularly elders, children, and vulnerable individuals – from remote fly-in communities like Eabametoong. Some communities, like Namaygoosisagagun (Collins First Nation), were forced to flee via boat as flames approached. Some were also forced to flee on logging roads, having to travel at dangerous speeds to outpace the fires. These roads are not suitable for passenger vehicles, never mind at a high rate of speed.
• But this is countered by other First Nations in Nishnawbe Aski – From CTV News ““One of our communities … declared a state of emergency two days ago and they still have yetto see an aircraft coming into their community,” he said. Fiddler is urging Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney to deploy the military to help the community, including sending aircraft to save people from the wildfires. He said it was “unacceptable” that a different community had been waiting three days for aircraft to evacuate them. “We saw the fires escalate in our region over a week ago, and we have been asking Canada and Ontario to deploy adequate resources so that communities can be supported,” Fiddler said. “Our main priority right now is to prevent the loss of life, and I would hope that both Ontario and Canada feel the same way.”Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says the community is trying ‘to prevent loss of life’ and asks the government’s help for evacuation support. Lawrence Wanakamik, chief of the Whitesand First Nation, said Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) was “really late” in its response to the wildfires.”
• Accommodations: Evacuees are being relocated to larger centres such as Thunder Bay and Niagara Falls, where hotels and emergency shelters are being utilized. However, the scale of the crisis has caused significant strain on housing capacity, with evacuees sometimes facing delays in finding suitable housing in host cities. They are also facing deep racists response from these cities
• Support & Resources: The emergency response is coordinated through local First Nations leadership, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and Indigenous Services Canada’s Emergency Management Assistance Program.
• So far the greatest financial and relocation assistance is from grassroots organizing and fundraising.

As news comes in from people who experienced the fire, it is becoming clear that very little effort has been made to evacuate the areas affected. News from First Nation councils and settler business owners report what can only be counted as neglect.

What does a government response look like in an evacuation for wildfire?

During the devastating July 2024 wildfires, Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper enacted an urgent mass evacuation order that safely relocated approximately 25,000 residents, park workers, and visitors in just eight hours.

The immediate response and subsequent assistance involved a multi-layered coordinated effort:

• Evacuation Logistics: Evacuees were directed primarily west toward British Columbia (e.g., Valemount) or east to reception centers in Hinton and Edmonton. Public transit and tour operators were mobilized to assist.
• Military & Federal Assistance: As the situation escalated, the Alberta government requested federal assistance. The Canadian Armed Forces were immediately deployed to assist with ground evacuations, emergency wildfire operations, and logistical support.
• Community & NGO Support: Municipalities surrounding Jasper, such as Valemount, Hinton, and Calgary, opened Emergency Operations Centres and reception facilities. The Canadian Red Cross mobilized hundreds of personnel, provided hotel accommodations, and distributed emergency financial assistance to over 4,000 affected households.
• Infrastructure Restoration: Utility crews, including teams from ATCO, worked alongside multi-agency response teams to rapidly restore essential gas and power services to undamaged residential properties.

During the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, over 90,000 residents were evacuated in Canada’s largest wildfire escape, without any direct fire-related fatalities. The massive response included coordinated highway and airlift evacuations, military and international firefighting deployments, and extensive financial aid.

The response to the crisis unfolded in several phases:

1. Evacuation Operations

• Highway 63: This was the main artery for the evacuation, though it became severely congested with gridlock and risked being cut off by flames. Aerial firefighters dropped retardant and water along the route to protect the crucial escape corridor.
• Northern Oil Sands Camps: When evacuation routes south were closed, thousands of civilians were forced to flee north. They were sheltered in remote oil sand work camps, which were rapidly adapted into emergency safe zones.
• Airlifts: Because camps were not initially designed for large-scale civilian populations, responders organized massive airlifts to transport thousands of evacuees to major hubs like Edmonton and Calgary.

2. Firefighting and First Responder Assistance

• On-the-ground Teams: At the peak, over 2,000 firefighters worked the blaze daily alongside support from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). [1, 2]
• International Support: Firefighters from across Canada were heavily reinforced by crews from the United States (200), Mexico (60), and South Africa (298).

3. Evacuee Support and Relief

• Canadian Red Cross: The response was heavily driven by charity and federal matching funds, with the Canadian Red Cross investing tens of millions in partnerships, transportation, direct financial assistance, and housing support.
• Charities: Organizations like the Salvation Army and GlobalMedic assisted on the ground, delivering meals, essential household goods, and hygiene kits.

4. Government Action

• The federal government mobilized immediate emergency assistance and subsequently provided significant Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) to help the community rebuild and improve emergency management infrastructure

Do governments help to rebuild communities after devastation by fire?

Yes, governments absolutely respond to help rebuild communities when they are devastated by wildfires. After the destructive 2024 Jasper wildfire, federal and provincial governments, alongside organizations like the Canadian Red Cross, have committed extensive financial and logistical support to the town.

Because of Jasper’s unique status as a community within a National Park, the federal response has been historic. Government-led rebuilding and recovery efforts include:

• Massive Financial Aid: The federal government has committed nearly a billion dollars (over $900 million) in total funding for the Jasper rebuild, which includes a landmark $520 million injection to accelerate critical infrastructure and park repairs.
• Interim Housing: To accommodate residents who lost their homes, governments and partners have established temporary housing units and pop-up villages to house hundreds of displaced households and support local businesses.
• Debris & Site Cleanup: Federal and provincial partnerships helped fund and execute debris cleanup for nearly 100% of the wildfire-impacted properties to clear the way for construction.
• Streamlined Approvals: Municipal and federal authorities have updated land-use policies and reduced red tape to speed up the approval of building permits for homeowners and commercial operators.
• Provincial Support: The Alberta government has provided direct funding to the Municipality of Jasper to cover emergency services, administrative expenses, and other uninsurable costs associated with the disaster.

Keep in mind, this is a town under federal jurisdiction. First Nations are not under the same kind of jurisdiction but both are through federal systems.

Multiple levels of the Canadian government mobilized to assist 2400 homes in Fort McMurray during and after the devastating 2016 wildfires:

• Military & Emergency Response: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government coordinated efforts through the Government Operations Centre. The military was deployed to help evacuate citizens, while provinces like Ontario and Quebec sent dozens of water bombers and hundreds of firefighters to contain the blaze.
• Financial Support: The Canadian federal government matched public donations made to the Canadian Red Cross. Additionally, Ottawa and the Alberta government announced millions in continuing support for residents, businesses, and recovery programs.
• Disaster Recovery Funding: In addition to immediate aid, the federal government provided millions through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program to support long-term resilience and recovery in the region.
• Financial Aid: The federal government provided over $385 million to Alberta through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) to cover emergency and recovery costs.
  Rebuilding Permits: The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo streamlined zoning and permit processes so that reconstruction could begin quickly, even while recovery efforts were ongoing.
  Private and NGO Donations: The federal government matched individual donations made to the Canadian Red Cross, injecting millions into housing, repair, and community support.

Something tells me that the rebuilding effort after this will be mostly directed to the “Road to the North” for access to the Ring of Fire. First Nations communities will bear a burden of waiting and hardships for longer. Watch my words here. The governments do not have any kind of track record for repairing infrastructural problems in First Nations, never mind create any kind of appropriate crisis response. The pattern holds: Canada and Ontario are committing ecocide.