Gov't disregard of Indigenous prescribed, cultural burns 'created this catastrophe': advocates
Share
TORONTO -
Knowledge keepers and fire experts say governments’ disregard of Indigenous prescribed and cultural burns has greatly contributed to the wildfire crisis in British Columbia today.
Potential fuel sources of wildfires could have been burned away if both federal and provincial governments had greatly expanded the millennia-old practice of purposefully burning away entire patches of trees and dry vegetation, fire researchers and First Nations leaders told CTVNews.ca.
Without these gaps in the forestry, wildfires have moved “like a conveyor belt” through the province, said Brenden Mercer, forest field management liaison for the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia (FNESS) – a group which, among other duties, assists First Nations communities perform cultural burns.
“In my opinion, prescribed burning can help alleviate a lot of this stuff because, since time immemorial, First Nations have been burning like this,” said the former firefighter with ancestry from Little Grand Rapids First Nation in Manitoba.
These controlled, low-intensity burns can be either burns specifically designed to remove sources of fire fuel loads, or cultural burns which are sacred Indigenous practices performed for a host of reasons including ecological stewardship, rejigging the soil for new vegetation, or creating new grazing paths for animals.
While fire experts’ research have confirmed the long-term benefits to Indigenous burnings, Mercer said the legacy of colonialism prevents more of the burnings from taking place.
“Things like the Brush Fire Act put into place in the [1870s] said basically that First Nations couldn't apply fire to the landscape anymore,” he said.
Laws like the Brush Fire Act -- first enacted in B.C. in 1874 and followed suit by other provinces in the early 1900s -- purported to prevent wildfires sparked by locomotives. But historians said they effectively banned ceremonies, like burnings, and sought to assimilate Indigenous Peoples.
Natural Resources Canada for example, acknowledges prescribed fires’ ability to reduce the number of wildfires. And following the wildfires in B.C. four years ago, a government report released in 2018 by former B.C. cabinet minister George Abbott and Chief Maureen Chapman urged B.C. to work with First Nations communities to “increase the use of traditional and prescribed burning."
In 2019, members of the Shackan Indian Band in B.C. partnered with the FNESS to perform a cultural burn with the assistance of the B.C. Wildfire Service. But band leaders like Chief Arnold Lampreau said efforts like this are “not nearly enough.”
He said in the past decade, he and his cousin have been told by government workers to put out cultural burns on their land several times.
“The threat has kind of dampened his willingness to go out there and burn,” he told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview, noting this feeling is, unfortunately, the case for many.
Even in the past few days, he’s grown angry as advice he’s given to government forestry workers “have gone unheard.”
“Colonialism and disregard of our knowledge have now created this catastrophe.”
GOV'T: WE SUPPORT RETURN OF CULTURAL BURNS
The same year that 2018 government report was released, University of British Columbia fire ecologists found released a report that impediments to progress to better wildfire prevention included a lack of sustained funding from provincial and federal governments, high costs and complex paperwork.
Mercer agreed and said more funding must go towards Indigenous fire keeper and guardian programs.
In a statement issued to CTVNews.ca on Monday, a B.C. government spokesperson said the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, “recognizes the importance of working with Indigenous partners to bring cultural fire back to the landscape.”
“We currently support traditional and cultural burning and have assisted many First Nations across the province in this practice," read the statement.
The spokesperson said their several draft action plans, including the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, show the government’s commitment. They also pointed to funds for various parties, including First Nations, which can be used to “complete wildfire risk reduction activities” on private land.
The government stated that before any burn is approved, factors such as vegetation type, terrain, humidity, or wind conditions must all be considered, and that to reduce smoke, all prescribed burns must also comply with the Environmental Management Act and the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation.
'REAL DEVALUATION OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE'
But fire research scientist Amy Cardinal Christianson said the approval process can be too rigorous and takes too long. A government-affiliated website states prescribed burns can take many months or even years to plan.
She adds that far too few Indigenous leaders are brought to the table during non-crisis times, which could help undo decades of colonialism and result in more controlled burnings.
“There was a real devaluation of Indigenous knowledge,” said Cardinal Christianson, a Métis researcher from Treaty 8 territory, who urged government or non-Indigenous communities to reassess their long held beliefs that controlled burning is harmful.
Today, Indigenous Peoples can have cultural burns on reserves and on title lands without provincial approvals. But she pointed out that for smaller reserves, challenges arise when they don’t have jurisdiction to burn surrounding lands, even though it’s on their territories.
Members of the Yukon First Nations Wildfire performing landscape fire management. (Yukon First Nations Wildfire)
Members of the Yukon First Nations Wildfire performing landscape fire management. (Yukon First Nations Wildfire)
Further complicating the issue is the fact that wildfire agencies ask people to report in any signs of smoke they see.
When the smoke is from band members performing cultural burns, first responders can either let the burn continue or offer to help. But Cardinal Christianson notes sometimes they’ll demand members extinguish it and this can create conflict when communities feel they shouldn’t have to report what they’re doing on their territory.
Cardinal Christianson reaffirmed First Nations communities know their land the best: they know the best times to burn, which areas have too much fuel load; and how to use the terrain to their benefit.
The Bridge River Indian Band in B.C., for example, controls fires by burning along the receding snowline on a mountain in the spring, she said. They’ll also burn logs along the riverbank to keep waterways open for fishes; and use the smoke to cool down the valley which can help fish farming.
Cardinal Christianson stresses that “Indigenous knowledge is really highly adaptable” and Indigenous leaders are very cognizant to changes in the landscape. But they need to be actual equal partners with the government.
MORE FIRES IN SPRING, FALL NEEDED: FIRE KEEPER
Interior Salish Fire Keeper member Joe Gilchrist agreed, saying there’s “too much bureaucratic red tape.”
Even if complete 180 degree change happened today, people wouldn’t see a reduction to number of wildfires until controlled burns were the norm over many years, the Nlaka'pamux and Secwepemc traditional burning knowledge keeper said.
“Fire keepers say fire is good and it has to be used to bring back the health and the balance to the forest,” Gilchrist said, explaining prescribed or cultural burns are most safely done during the spring or fall when the ground is moist.
But if this isn’t done, Gilchrist said when a wildfire comes along, there’s not much that can do besides simply try and put it out.
He said higher fuel loads and harsher wildfires are the direct result of more a century of “Indigenous knowledge being snuffed out.”
An Israeli airstrike triggered a massive blaze killing 45 people in a tent camp in the Gaza city of Rafah, officials said on Monday, prompting an outcry from global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court ruling to halt Israel's assault.
By Labour Day weekend, Ontarians of legal drinking age could snag a six-pack at their local convenience store on the way to the cottage. But what are alcohol sales like across the country? Here's what we know.
Former 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles while interrupting thieves Saturday, according to his agent and CNN affiliate KABC.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have been camped out at the University of Toronto for weeks say they have no plans to honour the terms of a trespass notice issued by the school and clear the demonstration site by 8 a.m. today.
Lauren Robilliard always knew she was adopted. As the B.C. native grew older, she developed a passion for genealogy, tracing her roots and paving the way for a career to help others find their own.
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have been camped out at the University of Toronto for weeks say they have no plans to honour the terms of a trespass notice issued by the school and clear the demonstration site by 8 a.m. today.
An unknown Newfoundland soldier, who fought and died on the battlefields in northeastern France during the First World War, is back home this weekend for the first time in more than a hundred years.
A commercial driver is facing a list of charges after video surfaces of a scary near miss involving an off-duty officer and a truck full of cattle in northern Ontario last month, police say.
After 22 witnesses, including a porn actor, tabloid publisher and White House insiders, testimony is over at Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York.
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea announced plans to launch a rocket apparently carrying its second military spy satellite during an eight-day period starting Monday, drawing quick, strong rebukes from neighbours South Korea and Japan.
Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin on Sunday hit turbulence, airport authorities said. Eight of the injured were hospitalized.
An Israeli airstrike triggered a massive blaze killing 45 people in a tent camp in the Gaza city of Rafah, officials said on Monday, prompting an outcry from global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court ruling to halt Israel's assault.
Canada is looking at the massive new U.S. import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles imposed by U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month, but is not making any commitment to following suit north of the border.
The U.S. ambassador to NATO says she has seen no indication that Canada has a plan to reach the NATO spending target of two per cent of GDP on defence.
The head of the World Health Organization on Monday voiced confidence that countries would one day reach a deal on a pandemic accord after failing to produce an agreement last week, although health officials warned it could take years.
Last month, the Canadian Medical Association warned that Canada's health-care facilities are among the oldest public infrastructure in use. Half were built more than 50 years ago, making them especially vulnerable to extreme climate events.
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.
The Toronto-based research arm of life sciences technology firm Klick Health has found a way to analyze voices in a manner that’s so granular, it can tell whether it's a person or an artificial intelligence-powered machine.
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Former 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles while interrupting thieves Saturday, according to his agent and CNN affiliate KABC.
Movie theaters are looking more and more like a wasteland this summer. Neither "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" nor "The Garfield Movie" could save Memorial Day weekend, which is cruising towards a two-decade low.
Indigo Books & Music Inc. shareholders are expected to vote this morning on whether the retailer should accept a sweetened offer from a holding company that plans to take the bookstore chain private.
The Beer Store says it is looking forward to the next stage in its “evolution” as the province rolls out an accelerated timeline for expanding retail alcohol sales in Ontario.
They travelled from all over -- from Europe and Oceania, from North America and South America -- to be at Roland Garros on Monday, intent on watching Rafael Nadal play what might be his last French Open match this year. Or ever.
Canada is looking at the massive new U.S. import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles imposed by U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month, but is not making any commitment to following suit north of the border.
In the early morning of May 14, Vicki Hill was startled awake by the sound of explosions outside her home in Bethesda, Md. The loud bangs, she learned later, had come from the airbags of the family’s SUV, a 2015 Nissan Murano that was parked in the driveway. It was on fire.
IAMGOLD’s Cote Gold open pit mine, located off Highway 144 between Timmins and Sudbury, had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony this week as production ramps up.
When one is extended an invitation to the Royal Garden Party in London, England, there's undoubtedly no shortage of pomp and circumstance. Barrie, Ont. natives Megan Kirk Chang and her husband Brandon experienced just that as they entered the prestigious event hosted at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
An unlikely celebrity emerged from social media to cheer on the Edmonton Oilers as they face the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
When Jujhar Mann said he wanted to be a pastry chef on a grade school career project, he didn't imagine that pursuing his dream would land him on a popular Netflix baking competition.
Peel Regional Police say they have arrested 16 suspects and issued arrest warrant for another 10 individuals in connection with an auto theft investigation carried out by a “highly orchestrated criminal operation.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have been camped out at the University of Toronto for weeks say they have no plans to honour the terms of a trespass notice issued by the school and clear the demonstration site by 8 a.m. today.
Southern Alberta will start this week with warm and stable conditions, before a pattern breakdown introduces cooler air and instability by the middle of the week when a Pacific trough edges into British Columbia.
Alstom is hitting the brakes on redesigning the wheel hub assembly on Ottawa's LRT vehicles, which was once billed as a "final fix" to a problem that has caused at least three shutdowns on the Confederation Line over the past three years.
The sole survivor of the Barrhaven mass killing is thanking the city of Ottawa for their support, only two months after losing his wife, four children and a family friend.
A researcher at Montreal's Concordia University and her team have developed an innovative technique for accurately identifying counterfeit coins using artificial intelligence (AI).
Linda Morais is proving it's never too late to follow your dreams — the Montreal wrestler has stamped her ticket to Paris to compete in the Olympic games this summer in what may be her final time representing Team Canada.
Connor McDavid didn't have an answer. His head coach, meanwhile, took a long, deliberate pause to ponder the same question — why haven't the Oilers been able to draw penalties against the Dallas Stars in the NHL's Western Conference final?
The head of a Quebec-based sexual and reproductive health organization says she's disappointed New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has deemed presentations she did in the province last week inappropriate.
An annual fixture in the Queen City, organizers for the Cathedral Village Arts Festival are saying the 2024 iteration of the week long event exceeded expectations – and then some.
Two Purolator truck drivers being hailed as heroes, misconduct in a Kitchener strip club, and population growth for the Region of Waterloo round out the most-read stories of the week.
As pro-Palestinian protestors at University of Toronto plan to meet with administration, protestors at University of Waterloo joined together to voice their concerns.
A walking party of 200 people gathered at River Landing Amphitheatre on Saturday to prepare for either a one or four-kilometer walk to advocate awareness for Alzheimer's, dementia, and other neuro-degenerative diseases.
A commercial driver is facing a list of charges after video surfaces of a scary near miss involving an off-duty officer and a truck full of cattle in northern Ontario last month, police say.
Former 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles while interrupting thieves Saturday, according to his agent and CNN affiliate KABC.
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Damage is estimated at $4-million and the building is a total loss after a fire at Watson's Home Hardware in Goderich. The blaze was spotted by a passerby around 7 p.m. on Saturday after the store had closed.
Damage is estimated at $75,000 following a fire in London over the weekend. Crews were called to the scene around 5 a.m. on Saturday to find a “fully-involved, detached garage fire.”
OPP have recovered the body of a swimmer who was reported missing on Lake St. Clair. Around 8 p.m. on Sunday, police found the remains of the 28-year-old man from St. Clair, Michigan.
Art in the Park is celebrating its 45th annual event next month. On June 1 and 2, 300 exhibitors will be on site at Willistead Park for what organizers are describing as the "biggest event ever."
An Israeli airstrike triggered a massive blaze killing 45 people in a tent camp in the Gaza city of Rafah, officials said on Monday, prompting an outcry from global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court ruling to halt Israel's assault.
There was a strong show of support in Greater Sudbury for an NDP-led bill calling on the province to officially recognize June 1 as Injured Workers Day in Ontario.
An unknown Newfoundland soldier, who fought and died on the battlefields in northeastern France during the First World War, is back home this weekend for the first time in more than a hundred years.
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
79-year-old Madonna Wilkinson has been playing the accordion since she was 15, when she picked one up that had been left behind at one of her parents' rollicking parties in the oceanside town about 25 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L. She has played Sunday masses and St. Patrick's Day parties, and community events of all kinds.