CBC
Mon, August 21, 2023
Evacuees without transportation line up in Yellowknife on Aug. 17. Roughly 20,000 of the city's residents are displaced due to nearby wildfires, along with residents from many other N.W.T. communities. (Tyson Koschik/CBC - image credit)
Calls are growing, both from inside and outside the federal government, for Canada to help the people of the Northwest Territories who are being financially affected by wildfires as costs mount for residents who fled their homes.
Gosma Buddoo, who lives in Yellowknife, fled to Edmonton along with some of his employees who live in Hay River, N.W.T.
The group incurred a week's worth of hotel expenses before finding a better arrangement.
"We are going to have to buy clothes because we just packed basically for a few days when we were leaving," he said.
"Food is another issue because we don't have access to cooking facilities at our hotel. So we have to buy meals on the go, which is more expensive than preparing your own meals."
On Sunday, N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane described the coming bill for the wildfires as a large one. The territory will need financial help but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn't committed any money yet, she said.
The issue prompted a call from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for immediate federal support.
"People and community leaders are dealing with the stress of this horrible situation — they should not have to fend for themselves," he stated.
'Support is needed very quickly'
N.W.T. Liberal MP Michael McLeod said he's encouraging his government to do more to help.
"Discussions are happening now. So I'm hoping we're going to have some answers fairly soon. Money and support is needed very quickly," he said.
He told CBC that the federal government has supported the United Way's efforts to help affected communities through a donation-matching program.
Member of Parliament Michael McLeod in Nahanni Butte on Sept. 30.
N.W.T. MP Michael McLeod, pictured here in Nahanni Butte on Sept. 30, 2022, says he wants to see the federal government decide soon on financial aid for N.W.T. residents. (Jenna Dulewich/CBC)
Indigenous governments are also receiving support from the federal government; in turn, several are offering direct financial assistance to evacuees.
The N.W.T. government and several Indigenous governments are also offering evacuation and lost income support.
McLeod said there is also a process in place to make it easier to apply for employment insurance if you cannot work while evacuated, he said.
Federal ministries have not yet been able to provide CBC with a complete picture of what funding the United Way and Indigenous governments have received or details about what additional aid may be coming.
N.W.T. says no financial aid for evacuees who organized own travel, accommodations
CBC
Mon, August 21, 2023
Officials in the Northwest Territories are expected to hold a virtual news conference at 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET) to update residents on the wildfire situation and resulting evacuations. (Tyson Koschik/CBC - image credit)
The N.W.T. government will not be offering financial support to evacuees who found their own accommodations, nor does it intend to help cover travel costs for people who left in their own vehicles, a spokesman for the territorial government says.
People who relied on the N.W.T.'s evacuation flights will have assistance returning when the order is lifted, said Jennifer Young, director of corporate affairs for the territory's municipal and community affairs department, said during a Monday evening wildfire update.
"If you self-evacuated on your own means, the expectation will be that you re-enter on your own means," said Young.
Instead, residents should be looking into their insurance policies to help cover expenses, she said.
Approximately 68 per cent of residents in N.W.T. have evacuated due to wildfires, Young added during the Monday update.
A wildfire burning about 15 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife caused the evacuation of about 20,000 from the N.W.T. capital city beginning late last week.
Nearby Dene communities of Dettah and Ndilǫ, as well as residences along the Ingraham Trail, were also evacuated. Other N.W.T. communities under evacuation orders are Jean Marie River, Kakiska, Kátł'odeeche First Nation, Hay River, Enterprise and Fort Smith.
Lighter winds, rain and firefighting tactics over the weekend helped prevent the fire's advance toward Yellowknife. It was forecast to travel up to four kilometres closer to the city; instead, it only moved between 100 and 200 metres, according to fire officials.
Mike Westwick, N.W.T. fire Information officer, said crews are looking at weeks of work before most people can go home, but that is dependent on a lot of factors, especially weather.
The rain that fell in the Yellowknife area over the past 72 hours helped reduce fire activity and gave firefighters a chance to assess the situation better.
But he said the rain is not enough to end the threat to the city, he said there would need to be about 60 millimetres in a 10-day span of rain.
In context, there has been only around 10 millimetres in the past few days and the forecast is looking dry in the coming days.
Westwick said the biggest concern for fire crews is the wildfire burning about four kilometres from Fort Smith, N.W.T.
He said they expect challenging winds which could push the fire toward the community again.
Westwick said crews have been working on a control line and structural protection.
The Hay River fire remains eight kilometres from the community, 10 kilometres from K'atl'odeeche First Nation and 14 kilometres from Kakisa.
"We're concerned by the incoming weather over the next few days," Westwick said of the fire near those communities.
But he said he's happy with the protections that have been put into place in recent days, including dozer lines and sprinklers.
"They're going to continue to stand tall and continue to do that work and stay safe," he said of the crews on the ground.
N.W.T. premier says no commitment from Trudeau on financial assistance for evacuees
CBC
Sun, August 20, 2023
N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane says the prime minister has not committed financial assistance to the residents who have been displaced from the Northwest Territories as a result of wildfire evacuation orders. (Liny Lamberink/CBC - image credit)
The prime minister has not committed financial assistance to the residents who have been displaced from the Northwest Territories as a result of wildfire evacuation orders, according to the premier.
A wildfire burning out of control northwest of Yellowknife triggered the evacuation of the N.W.T.'s capital city of about 20,000 people, the neighbouring Yellowknives Dene communities of Ndilǫ and Dettah and residences along the Ingraham Trail last week.
The N.W.T. communities of Fort Smith, Enterprise, Hay River, Kátł'odeeche First Nation, Kakisa and Jean Marie River are also under evacuation orders.
In a virtual news conference on Sunday night, Premier Caroline Cochrane said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau guaranteed the federal government would "put a priority on making sure that we were safe. Didn't say financial supports, in fairness."
Cochrane said she has also been in touch with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
"This is going to be a large bill and we are going to need financial help going forward."
"Not only are we looking at the evacuations, we need to bring people home, we don't know how long it will be so I have emphasized to Minister Freeland that we may be asking for more supports."
Evacuees leave Yellowknife
Evacuees leave Yellowknife by road on Friday. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Trudeau made an announcement on Sunday where he said he had spoken with Cochrane but gave no details on the conversation.
N.W.T.'s Liberal MP Michael McLeod has not been present for the daily news conferences hosted by the territorial government.
Weather to worsen fire situation in South Slave region
Weather conditions in the N.W.T.'s South Slave region are expected to worsen, increasing the wildfire threat to the communities of Hay River, Kakisa, Enterprise and Fort Smith, according to NWT Fire.
Mike Westwick, N.W.T. fire information officer, said at the news conference that the weather could push fire closer to Fort Smith.
"Got some tough days ahead for our friends in the South Slave for sure," he said.
"Keep your thoughts and your prayers if you're giving them with Fort Smith and Hay River."
In Yellowknife, he said fire suppression efforts held the fire northwest of the city from moving closer to the community. He said initial estimates were that it could move four kilometres closer on Sunday, but that didn't happen.
Westwick said as long as conditions stay dry and windy, the fire will present a risk to the community.
"We do expect to see more fire activity on this fire going forward," he said.
"We've got a serious situation here," he said.
He said the Jean Marie River fire hasn't grown in the past few days.
Homeless population not left behind: officials
Government officials and law enforcement said they believe most, if not all, of Yellowknife's homeless population have made it out of the city.
Jennifer Young, director of corporate affairs for the department of Municipal and Community Affairs, said members of the underhoused population are registered at evacuation centres. She said the supports available to them depends on the evacuation centre, but that many have social programs available.
N.W.T. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Matt Halstead said officers in Yellowknife have checked in on members of the underhoused community and helped them evacuate.
"It should go without saying that these individuals have their own decision making ability and no one has been forced to leave," he said.
"We believe the vast majority, if not all, of our shelter users and underhoused have made it to evacuation centres."
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