Natives keen to fight fires
First Nations leaders say they appreciate the help of the military and outof-province firefighters to battle the blazes raging through the La Ronge area of northern Saskatchewan, but much more needs to be done to train and hire local residents for the job.
“We are very concerned about the fires. We need a lot more of our people fighting fire than we have now,” Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said. “We have a lot of our guys ready and willing to work. We need to put them out there to help. They know the land and they know how to fight the fires.”
Added Prince Albert Grand Council vice-chief Brian Hardlotte, who was also in Stanley Mission with other First Nations leaders assessing the fire Sunday and Monday, “We appreciate the other help, but this is becoming frustrating. We are here. We are ready. This is our home.”
Hardlotte said First Nations people in the region have their livelihoods, homes and lives at stake and desperately want to be a part of the effort.
Throughout Stanley Mission, a community of 2,000 people 60 kilometres north of La Ronge, dozens of young men wait for the chance to train and head to the fire line.
In another reserve south of Lac la Ronge, Hall Lake, young men also appear underutilized. Cousins Robert and Bobby Ross chose to stay and help while others evacuated. They place sprinklers periodically around homes and other infrastructure, but are ready to do much more. “I’m tired of this,” Robert Ross said as they took a break at Sally Ross School’s command centre.
A group of 25 firefighters got their chance on Monday to take the four-day course to achieve their Level 3 firefighting training offered by the provincial government.
About 65 people on other reserves were also beginning training Monday.
First Nations leaders welcomed the new courses, but say it’s not nearly enough. A call to fill 250 positions last week was met with an immediate response from more than 600 band members.
“This is an extreme situation we’re in. We need to take extreme measures,” Cook-Searson said.
Steve Roberts, executive director of wildfire management, said the department prioritized the training of military members before those applying for the 250 positions because the soldiers would require only an eight-hour course.