How wildfires are disrupting traplines and raising questions in northwest Sask.
Patrick led a group that endeavoured to conserve 22,000 square kilometres of forest in the Île-à-la-Crosse area known as N-14 Fur Block, an area home to more than 100 trap lines.
Recent wildfires decimated forest habitats in the northwest region, burning up to 90 per cent of N-14 Fur Block, according to one local estimate.
"It's devastating," said Patrick, who was executive director for the Sakitawak Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA), the group that sought to protect N-14 Fur Block until project funding dried up.
"It's devastating because of the lack of respect for First Nations and Métis in that area who have been telling this government and previous governments about the need to allow for Indigenous knowledge to be a part of planning."
Over hundreds of years, Métis, Woodland Cree and Dene people in the area have gathered knowledge to manage the land. The Sakitawak IPCA would have relied on local knowledge to establish sustainable forest management practices.
A "fur block" is a defined area in which approved trappers are allowed to harvest fur. The designation does not trigger extra forest management or protection measures.
Acting Île-à-la-Crosse Mayor Vince Ahenakew said the Muskeg fire that he estimates burned about 90 per cent of the N-14 Fur Block this summer is worse than the blaze that tore through it two years ago. The area is home to vulnerable species including the woodland caribou.
"A lot of [animals] are having their young right now, little rabbits, the moose and bears," Ahenakew said.
"You kind of feel sorry for them, as well for the people that are suffering from these fires. There seems to be no end in sight. There's dry, dry, dry weather and wind every single day."
The provincial government could not confirm how much land in N-14 Fur Block burned so far this year. Dale Barks, an ecologist with the Ministry of Environment, said aerial surveys could be done this fall.
"Once the fires are kind of dissipated, we can see how much is burned [and] we get an assessment of what's left after the fire," Barks said.
Forests ecosystems have adapted to wildfire cycles, which help regeneration and provide diverse habitats in various stages of growth. But the benefits aren't always a comfort for people who rely on the land, Barks said.
"Once the forest fire moves through ... there's really not a whole lot to do unless that trapper can find patches of habitat elsewhere in the trap line that haven't been disturbed."
Wildfires in the province have burned more than 2 million hectares of land so far this year. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said 942,173 hectares were burned during last year's wildfire season. That's just behind the 1,722,610 hectares burned in 2015 and the 1,868,695 hectares burned in 2023.
Patrick said climate change is rapidly changing the ecosystem and severity of wildfires.
"We need to put some serious thoughts into planning and planning in advance," Patrick said. "We know this is going to happen ...This is our new normal."
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a day ago
- Yahoo
How wildfires are disrupting traplines and raising questions in northwest Sask.
Kelly Patrick wonders how different the boreal forest in northwest Saskatchewan would look if a big push to protect a large swath of it used for trapping and hunting hadn't failed. Patrick led a group that endeavoured to conserve 22,000 square kilometres of forest in the Île-à-la-Crosse area known as N-14 Fur Block, an area home to more than 100 trap lines. Recent wildfires decimated forest habitats in the northwest region, burning up to 90 per cent of N-14 Fur Block, according to one local estimate. "It's devastating," said Patrick, who was executive director for the Sakitawak Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA), the group that sought to protect N-14 Fur Block until project funding dried up. "It's devastating because of the lack of respect for First Nations and Métis in that area who have been telling this government and previous governments about the need to allow for Indigenous knowledge to be a part of planning." Over hundreds of years, Métis, Woodland Cree and Dene people in the area have gathered knowledge to manage the land. The Sakitawak IPCA would have relied on local knowledge to establish sustainable forest management practices. A "fur block" is a defined area in which approved trappers are allowed to harvest fur. The designation does not trigger extra forest management or protection measures. Acting Île-à-la-Crosse Mayor Vince Ahenakew said the Muskeg fire that he estimates burned about 90 per cent of the N-14 Fur Block this summer is worse than the blaze that tore through it two years ago. The area is home to vulnerable species including the woodland caribou. "A lot of [animals] are having their young right now, little rabbits, the moose and bears," Ahenakew said. "You kind of feel sorry for them, as well for the people that are suffering from these fires. There seems to be no end in sight. There's dry, dry, dry weather and wind every single day." The provincial government could not confirm how much land in N-14 Fur Block burned so far this year. Dale Barks, an ecologist with the Ministry of Environment, said aerial surveys could be done this fall. "Once the fires are kind of dissipated, we can see how much is burned [and] we get an assessment of what's left after the fire," Barks said. Forests ecosystems have adapted to wildfire cycles, which help regeneration and provide diverse habitats in various stages of growth. But the benefits aren't always a comfort for people who rely on the land, Barks said. "Once the forest fire moves through ... there's really not a whole lot to do unless that trapper can find patches of habitat elsewhere in the trap line that haven't been disturbed." Wildfires in the province have burned more than 2 million hectares of land so far this year. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said 942,173 hectares were burned during last year's wildfire season. That's just behind the 1,722,610 hectares burned in 2015 and the 1,868,695 hectares burned in 2023. Patrick said climate change is rapidly changing the ecosystem and severity of wildfires. "We need to put some serious thoughts into planning and planning in advance," Patrick said. "We know this is going to happen ...This is our new normal."
Hamilton Spectator
13-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Military says over 1,000 people flown from fire-threatened Manitoba community
The Canadian Armed Forces says it's evacuated over a thousand residents of a northern Manitoba community threatened by a wildfire, while towns and villages in the province are welcoming cooler weather they say is helping firefighters. The military began removing people from Garden Hill First Nation on CC-130 Hercules transport airplanes on Friday, and it says that as of Sunday afternoon, over 1,550 have been flown to Winnipeg. Capt. Wyatt Shorter with Joint Operations Command says there are no more people waiting to leave Garden Hill, but a Hercules is on standby in Winnipeg in case anyone else needs a flight out. The community is about 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg and is not accessible by road. Manitoba declared its second provincewide state of emergency of the year last week as wildfires continue to rage. Prime Minister Mark Carney says in a social media post that the federal government is working with First Nations and other orders of government to fight the fires, and stands ready to supply additional support. 'Wildfires have been worsening, especially across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. On behalf of Canadians, my ongoing gratitude to all the first responders on the front lines of this crisis,' Carney wrote. But communities like the City of Thompson, where residents are told to be ready to evacuate if conditions deteriorate, posted on social media on Sunday that light winds, low temperatures, rain and higher humidity are giving firefighting crews time to bolster defences. The community's fire update on Sunday included an aerial photo of a nearby snowmobile shelter and outhouse, which the update said survived a low intensity burn that swept through the area earlier in the week. The update said Monday's forecast was expected to be cool, and Environment Canada's forecast says to expect a temperature of 16 C. Thompson is set to welcome 20 firefighters from Mexico to help fight nearby wildfires, and the city says an incident management team from Australia is arriving on Wednesday. The Manitoba government said Friday over 12,000 people were out of their homes, and it gave notice that it intended to use Winnipeg's major convention centre to house more evacuees. The Canadian Red Cross said in a statement Sunday that it is co-ordinating logistics for congregate shelters in Winnipeg. Canada's emergency management minister said in a statement Sunday that over the weekend she approved an additional request for federal assistance from the provincial government. Eleanor Olszewski noted the most recent assistance would be put toward humanitarian workforce support for emergency evacuation and sheltering activities. 'I am in regular contact with my counterpart in Manitoba. Our government will act fast if more help is needed,' Olszewski said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
13-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Cape Breton shorelines not just changing, but disappearing
Bridges, structures and land masses that graced the shores of Cape Breton's waterfronts within living memory now lie underwater or partially submerged. A flood mapping project now underway can help make sure infrastructure and development planning can handle the future. Coastal and waterway erosion and flooding are issues affecting all of Cape Breton. Researchers working on a flood mapping project have been visiting First Nation communities in the Bras d'Or Lake area collecting information, stories and memories from the descendants of the island's first peoples about water and weather events to prepare a report. The report, expected to be finished in March 2026, will not only help scientists, climatologists and community leaders know what the erosion and flooding situation is now, but can aid in preparation for future weather-event trends and emergencies. This past week, staff from engineering company CBCL Limited and Indigenous advisory and education company Balsam – both from Halifax – held community engagement sessions in the First Nation communities of Whycocomagh and Potlotek. Studies are also being done in Nova Scotia through the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq. The provincial government is working with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to address flooding and engage with the community in that part of Unama'ki (Cape Breton). The effects of severe weather events are real and increasing, based on factual and anecdotal historical data. Who better to detail weather-event stories but the Mi'kmaq peoples who have lived close to the land for thousands of years? 'First Nations people have been here the longest. They not only have recent memory history, but legacy history in terms of the stories they have in the places they used to visit and the places that may not be available anymore,' says Houston Barnaby, a Mi'kmaw Indigenous Rights lawyer originally from Listuguj, QC, and founding partner of Balsam. CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In Potlotek on Wednesday, people gathered at a table where a map of the area lay in front of them. They were encouraged to help write notations on the map about where structures still were; where land or structures used to be; what was now underwater; and areas they knew were in trouble when heavy rains came. Researchers listened and took notes. They heard concerns and took recommendations from the locals about flooding or land erosion in the community. Potlotek's Charles Doucette, the community's Manager of Fisheries, said he has seen a lot of changes along the shoreline in his lifetime. He is an artist who makes jewelry from stone and so walks the shore often. He points to the map of the Potlotek area on a table in front of him. 'We've seen islands we used to go to that became sandbars and then shoals and now they're completely underwater,' he says. His finger lands on an area indicating land on the map. 'Even in the last year, there is a sandbar here on the map – it's now gone – I'd say in the last two months and the area is all open. You can canoe right through here.' He points to another area. 'Places where people used to have cabins – they're gone. The waves are coming into them and they will be gone soon.' 'One year you'll see a big rock on the hill, and the next year it's gone. It's down on the shore.' FLOODING INTENSITY CBCL's Manager of Coastal Science and Engineering, Amaury Camarena, told people they should expect the sea levels to rise and play a role in the flooding intensity and potential damage of those floods. Camarena says he was told about a wharf in the community built 30 years ago and people said it was too high back then. But now it's underwater frequently! A new wharf had to be rebuilt at a higher level in recent years. 'With climate change, we expect things like that to become accelerated,' he says. He is hoping to help Cape Breton prepare for the possible negative results of future weather events. Floods over the past decade in Nova Scotia that led to loss of life, homes and livelihoods have brought the issue of climate change to the forefront for many people. The tragic stories of flooding in Texas this past week that killed and injured hundreds have been shocking and highlighted the worst-case scenario of such weather events. The project CBCL Limited and Balsam are partnering in – Unama'ki Watershed Data Collection and Mi'kmaq Engagement' – will culminate in a report. It will include data about local maps, water levels, flow measurements and inventories of area water structures. A second component of the report will highlight some of the key findings and general methodology that was used for engagement with the communities. Camarena says they have heard about significant issues in some communities related to stormwater infrastructures or undersize culverts that don't allow for all the water to flow out of the community efficiently. 'We have heard in some communities that during extreme rainfall events or storms, parts of the communities can become disconnected because the roads are not accessible. So that is a really critical component of how floods impact a lot of people,' he said. 'A lot of businesses have to close because of the flooding and limited access they have during these events and the recovery efforts that have to be done afterwards.' PROVIDING A BRIDGE With his knowledge as part of the Mi'kmaq community in Eastern Canada, Houston has been providing a bridge between climate researchers and First Nations communities on Cape Breton. 'It's the two-eyed seeing concept – using indigenous knowledge systems but also technical modern systems to get a clearer picture,' he said. 'We have tech analyses through instruments in the water, so we're getting concrete data and also getting quality data from the community members given their experience and methods of adaptation to the ever-changing and sometimes volatile environment.' 'One method is not better than the other. Both need each other to get as accurate a picture as possible. Working together and piecing these data points and insights we get from community members who have lived here all their lives is good. They got their stories from grandparents and great-grandparents and it can only help shed light on what has happened and what the trends are and what's happening today.' Camarena said the research project and its data will be a very useful tool. 'It will lead to a lot more discussion and ideas for development from everyone in the communities, in government, and for the people selecting how future funding is going to be used.' He said the project will help provide the tools people will need to both grant the funding and apply for the funding. While the companies have only been invited to work in two of the five First Nation communities on Cape Breton, they say they are open to discussions with others if invited. ABOUT FLOOD MAPPING Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
