First Nations reserve staying put
WILDFIRES: Tl’etinqox community of Anaham Reserve takes on firefighting duties to save own homes
As fast-moving wildfires threaten homes across the Cariboo-Chilcotin the entire town of 100 Mile House has been ordered evacuated. But on a First Nations reserve, several hundred kilometres west, band members say they are left to fight the fires themselves, and will not follow a general evacuation order.
On Sunday Chief Joe Alphonse announced that members of the Tl’etinqox First Nation community of Anaham Reserve would stay behind in efforts to save their homes.
The Gustafsen wildfire is the main blaze threatening the area. On Monday, B.C. fire information office Kevin Skrepnek said the Gustafsen fire is about 5,000 hectares and “hot and dry” conditions are expected to persist in the area. A “complex” of smaller blazes in the Chilcotin region are also a danger to the reserve in wildfire conditions that are “fluid” and “deteriorating” provincial officials said.
According to a report in the Williams Lake Tribune, Chief Alphonse said Sunday that his members were preparing heavy machinery to build fire guards around their homes.
“We are going to set up our own internal firefighting crew that’s not registered and start fighting it on our own,” Alphonse was quoted. “Yesterday we had three big cats outside our parking lot all day waiting for a call from the fire centre. No one here could get hold of them because they are in a situation where there are so (many) fires everywhere, that they are scrambling.”
On Monday morning, band employee Pam Alphonse posted a photo and message on Facebook, saying “we have fires that are literally around our community.”
She posted a picture showing fires approaching the band’s office.
“As you see in the picture, this was from (Sunday) night above the band office, and to give you an idea of the fires, this is only a portion,” Alphonse wrote. “Staff are overwhelmed, been on the go since Friday. Our members have been coming together ... last night we fed about 150 people! Our phone and internet lines are down ... please keep our community in your prayers.”
“Be safe and keep doing what you have to do to keep our community standing,” band member Tahnea Alphonse responded in a comment.
In a Facebook post updating the evolving wildfire threat, Forests Minister John Rustad, the MLA for Nechako Lakes, called the decision of Chief Alphonse troubling.
In his statement, Rustad said that high winds had caused the Gustafsen blaze to change directions, and that is what prompted evacuation orders for areas surrounding 100 Mile House.
“Some additional troubling news: the Chief of the Anaham Band has decided not to evacuate his reserve,” Rustad wrote on Facebook. “Some have left, but they have decided to stay and fight the fires to try to save their community. I understand why he wants to do it, but this is a serious risk given the challenge of what could happen with rapid moving fires.”
“The band council has not issued an evacuation order, but they are under advisement (from provincial officials.)” — Bob Turner
While an evacuation of the whole reserve has been advised, the band is under federal jurisdiction and therefore cannot be forced to leave, provincial officials said Monday.
In a brief interview, Bob Turner, assistant deputy minister of emergency management, was asked if the province had offered the Tl’etinqox First Nation more firefighting resources, considering the band’s refusal to evacuate.
Turner said the province has provided satellite phones and remains in close contact.
“We are aware of the situation,” Turner said. “The band council has not issued an evacuation order, but they are under advisement (from provincial officials.)”