The head of a first nation of Northern Manitoba says that officials are playing a “waiting game”, since the community has been dealing with nearby forest fires, smoke and a continuous energy cut for three weeks.
Shirley Ducharme, head of the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree (OPCN) nation, about 775 kilometers north of Winnipeg, said that the area is experiencing access points and outbreaks that have periodically closed the 493 and 391 highways, which makes it difficult to obtain the fight against fires and support to hyritas services.
“The goal here is to get these access points and … get the restored power for our first nation,” said Duchar me during a press conference on Tuesday.
She said she has been frustrated with the response of the provincial officials of Forest Fire Management and Emergency Management, Indigenous Services Canada and Manitoba Hydro.
“There are still fires that surround us and will wait until it approaches, until we have a high risk. That is not what I call prevention,” he said.
“I don’t know why this waiting game has been played.”
The Manitoba government said it has been in regular contact with the first nation on the forest fire to the south of the community. In a statement to CBC News on Tuesday, provincial officials said the forest fire “is currently not very active.”
Until Monday, that forest fire had burned more than 15,500 hectares, according to the most recent Forest Fire Status Report Available in the province on Tuesday. The fire is still considered out of control.
The province said that it has deployed “significant resources” to other forest fires in the region, including the teams of firefighters and helicopters dedicated.
The authorities confirmed that the intersection of roads 493 and 391 has been closed intermittently for public safety reasons due to forest fires and smoke. The Government said that the path “is not impassable” and that the provincial staff has been helping to move people, supplies and food in the area.
The first nation has around 1,100 people living in the community, with about 230 vulnerable residents sent to Winnipeg as evacuated of priority 1 on July 5 and 6, said Duchar me. About 80 percent of residents are still at home.
On Monday, the main generator of the Local Health Center stopped working, he said. Now they trust smaller support generators of the province’s emergency management office to keep the services in operation.
“There has been no action, no activity of Manitoba Hydro,” said Duchar me, adding that hydroelectric officials have told leadership that it is not safe to send workers to the community.
“At this time, we are handling. We have living conditions that we can handle due to who we are, and we know how to survive without power,” he said.
OPCN Viceal, Oliver Dyart, said the community is “feeling the lack of support” of the province and Manitoba Hydro.
Crown Corporation is not providing personnel to fix the power cut, but has been sending supplies so that community members involve hydroelectric posts to protect against more damage, he said.
“We are a little defending ourselves for ourselves,” said Dyart.
Duchar me said that about 50 hydroelectric posts near the community have fallen since the power came out for the first time on July 9.
Lawyer Jonathan Soulier said the first nation is using about 3,000 liters of gas per day to feed houses and community buildings.
Manitoba Hydro said in a statement sent by email to CBC News on Tuesday that is monitoring interruptions in the area with the help of provincial forest fire services.
Hydroelectric workers “have not been able to access the area safely to completely evaluate the damage,” said a spokesman, added that they do not have a schedule for repairs due to active forest fires and road closures in the area.
Find the latest forest fire information:
Are you an evacuation that needs help? Contact Manitoba 211 Calling 211 from any place in Manitoba or email 211MB@findhelp.ca.
