Pearl Lorentzen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As of 10:30 a.m. on July 7, Peerless Lake, Trout Lake, and Chipewyan Lake remained evacuated because of wildfires. They had been evacuated since May 28. The Chip Lake evacuation will be some time, as the fire burnt an estimated 49 per cent of the community.
“A month is too long, especially for the elders …,” PTFN Chief Gilbert Okemow told The Leader. “I think people want to go home.”
However, Peerless Lake had fires on three sides, and Trout had fires on two.
“The fire between Peerless and Trout they contained that,” says Okemow, but the other fires were larger and still out of control.
The fire between the communities was 5 km from Peerless and 7 km from Trout. The other fires were between 5.5 and 8.5 km from the communities.
Alberta Wildfire is working on the fires, says Okemow, but they haven’t given the nation any estimate of when the evacuation can end. In the meantime, wildland urban interface (WUI) teams are in both communities with structure protection in case the fires get closer.
As of the morning of July 7, the only road into Peerless and Trout was closed.
The majority of the about 700 PTFN evacuees are staying in hotels in Edmonton, with a few staying with family elsewhere.
PTFN had various supports in place for the evacuees and activities.
“They’re still keeping them busy,” says Okemow of the programs the PTFN and Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council staff are organizing.
One of the highlights early in July was a boating trip for the elders.
“They said they had a good time,” says Okemow.
Some other activities have included corn hole games and bingo. KTC Education Authority also had booked some rooms at the end of June for students to take exams.
KTC owns an office building in Edmonton.
Having this building has been very useful, says Okemow.
PTFN Treaty Days were scheduled for mid-July. These have been postponed until August 19 to 22.
Chipewyan Lake
Most of the around 90 Chipewyan Lake evacuees are in hotels in Wabasca. M.D. of Opportunity and Bigstone Cree Nation are supporting them and working toward temporary housing and rebuilding the community.
Asked how it is going for the evacuees, M.D. Reeve Marcel Auger says, “It’s getting tough. They’re just not used to being in such a large community … We want to move them out of the hotels into temporary housing as soon as possible.”
However, there is a process that must be followed, which takes time.
The on-the-ground assessment started on June 26 and a consultant was working on a disaster recovery report.
“I’m hoping by around Thursday (July 10), we’ll have some real direction,” says Auger.
Part of the process is questionnaires to see which of four or five options work better for individuals. These include renting from a family or friend, self-contained oilfield skid-shacks, or renting places in Wabasca or other communities.
One type won’t work for everyone, says Auger.
The M.D. and Bigstone met with the Chip Lake evacuees on Friday, July 4 and plan to have community meetings at least once a week.