Island Lake First Nations demand fire prevention overhaul

First Nations leaders are speaking out and calling for a comprehensive plan to address wildfires and evacuations. CTV’s Harrison Shin reports.

The Chiefs of the Island Lake First Nations are demanding solutions from the perspective of fire prevention, not reactiveness.

On Friday, leadership members of the Island Lake First Nations held a press conference in Winnipeg, demanding five solutions.

“This is not an emergency system; this is a cycle of failure. Our Chiefs and Anisininew Nations are saying to Canada, “The cycle ends now,’” Grand Chief Alex McDougall of Anisininew Okimawin said.

“Leaders called for a national Indigenous fire strategy because of chronic lack of firefighting, fire prevention and emergency services in First Nations was a recipe for disaster,” McDougall added.

In a media release, the Anisininew Okimawin leadership is demanding five action items, addressing future-proof measures and the current wildfire situation.

“We don’t need to fund more evacuations—we need fund on staying home,” Chief Raymond Flett of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation said.

Six leaders of the First Nations drew their statements based on a 2022 Auditor General of Canada report.

“$646 million in response, and $182 million on prevention. That’s unacceptable—this should be the other way around,” Chief Willie Moore of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said.

The Canadian Red Cross said the organization is working extremely hard to provide support, in an email statement.

“As of August 6, the Red Cross has registered more than 31,000 people from more than 12,000 households evacuated due to wildfires in Manitoba. This includes people from more than 7,000 households on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada, and more than 5,000 households on behalf of the Province of Manitoba.

“This is a fast-moving and evolving response and the Red Cross is working with community leadership, the Government of Manitoba and Indigenous Services Canada to provide support to people impacted, as requested and directed by the community,” the statement said.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) said the department operates multiple programs to support First Nations, in an email response.

“Since April 1st, 2025, ISC has also provided $58.9 million in advance payments to support immediate response to First Nations in Manitoba experiencing displacements due to wildland fires.

“We are actively engaging with First Nations and Manitoba to discuss improvements based on lessons learned from the current wildfire season, particularly through the development of multilateral emergency management service agreements that include First Nations as full and equal partners in governance, planning, and delivery.”

The federal department said it’s open to working closely on long-term plans with communities and provincial governments that wish to build all-season roads.

“While the building and maintaining of permanent off-reserve roads falls under provincial jurisdiction, ISC will continue to engage the provinces and impacted First Nations on longer-term transportation plans.”

For the First Nations affected, they said their future is at stake.

“We can’t live like this for another 60—maybe 50—years,” Chief Walter Harper of Wasagamack Anisininew Nation said.