Now, unfortunately forest fires are burning 3.5 kilometres from Deer Lake, a remote northwest Ontario community in Canada.
The Deer Lake Band Council of the First Nations Community of Deer Lake is requesting help from Ontario to evacuate approximately 480 Deer Lake residents who will be immediately airlifted by Canadian Forces aircraft to Greenstone, Ontario.
The primary reason for the evacuation of Deer Lake residents is their health is most at risk due to the smoke.
The details of the emergency tactics, involving First Nations officials, provincial ministries, federal departments and the Canadian Forces, are as follows:
- Emergency Management Ontario is coordinating the overall provincial efforts.
- Crews from the Ministry of Natural Resources are fighting the fires with water bombers and are planning the evacuation of Deer Lake with the Canadian Forces.
- Personnel from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care are working with federal counterparts to ensure medical services are available to those who need them.
- Federal departments involved in the effort include the Department of National Defence, Health Canada, and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
- The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating provincial efforts.
Please note that at this time there are no evacuations planned for residents in the following remote communities also affected by the fires:
- Sandy Lake,
- Cat Lake and
- North Spirit Lake.
Please click on the following links for:
Ontario, Canada: Newsroom
Ontario Coordinates Evacuation of Deer Lake
July 6, 2011
First Nations Community Threatened By Fire and Smoke
Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) is working with First Nations officials, provincial ministries, federal departments and the Canadian Forces to evacuate Deer Lake residents who are most at risk from nearby forest fires.
Forest fires are burning 3.5 kilometres from the remote northwest Ontario community, sending plumes of smoke into the area.
At the request of the Deer Lake Band Council, the province is coordinating with federal and military officials the evacuation of Deer Lake residents whose health is most at risk due to the smoke. It is expected that approximately 480 residents will be immediately airlifted by Canadian Forces aircraft to Greenstone, Ontario.
- Emergency Management Ontario is coordinating the overall provincial efforts
- Crews from the Ministry of Natural Resources are fighting the fires with water bombers and are planning the evacuation of Deer Lake with the Canadian Forces.
- Personnel from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care are working with federal counterparts to ensure medical services are available to those who need them.
Federal departments involved in the effort include the Department of National Defence, Health Canada and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
QUOTES
“We’re collaborating very closely with our First Nations and federal partners to ensure the safety of Deer Lake residents. This evacuation will help take the most vulnerable members of the community out of harms way.”
– Jim Bradley
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
QUICK FACTS
- Other remote communities affected by the fires are: Sandy Lake, Cat Lake and North Spirit Lake. There are no evacuations planned for residents in these communities at this time.
- The province supports emergency management programs of First Nations on behalf of the federal government.
- The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating provincial efforts.
LEARN MORE
- Read more about Emergency Management Ontario
- Read more about the current forest fire situation in Ontario
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
ontario.ca/safety