WABASEEMOONG — The people of Wabaseemoong Independent Nations have been fully evacuated as of Thursday.
The community’s chief and council have identified multiple temporary spaces for residents until their larger action plan is implemented and local partner organizations are working with community staff to coordinate these solutions, accroding to a media release issued on behalf of the First Nation.
The evacuation follows an emergency order issued May 13 in response to the rapidly increasing fire, dubbed Kenora Fire 20.
The fire is over 23,000 hectares and sits around 2.5 kilometres from the community after a change in wind direction, posing a significant smoke and fire risk to the community and its members.
Another fire, Kenora Fire 14, is also burning at roughly 1,600 hectares around 12 kilometres north of Wabaseemoong and spreading to Tetu Lake’s south shore, west of the community.
With the fire's proximity to Wabaseemoong, the community and fire crews are putting precautions into effect to try and mitigate the fire should it cross community lines.
Leadership also continues to work closely with partners and volunteers to help mitigate other fire risks in the community.
In the meantime, roads are closed and there is no access to the community.
“We would like to emphasize this is a very stressful and busy situation for not only leadership, but all our members as well,” said the media release.
“We are asking anybody besides the emergency personnel, who have been identified, to refrain from visiting the community. This is a dangerous and complex situation.”
If additional people attend the community without permission, it increases the level of risk and response needed from the crews on the ground, according to the release.
The chief and council added that they send a big miigwetch to everyone who has assisted in this process, including leadership from other communities, as the ongoing support is making it so they transition as smoothly and safely as possible.
“We will continue to provide updates to the public. However, we ask for patience as we navigate this scary situation,” said the release.
