Latest news with #Chateh
CBC
10 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Meet the helpers spending days on their feet to serve First Nations wildfire evacuees
Since April 1, 31 First Nations across Canada have had to evacuate due to wildfires, displacing 20,059 people, according to Indigenous Services Canada. Some of those evacuees have turned to helping others in similar situations. Chateh, Alta., a Dene community in northern Alberta, had to be evacuated suddenly on May 29 due to a wildfire. Fleeing your home can be a scary and disorienting experience, especially if you have to do so in a rush. Hayley Natannah, from Chateh, was recruited to run the donation centre in High Level, Alta., about 100 kilometres away. She said some people were notified about the need to leave by RCMP officers knocking on their doors. "It happened so quickly …. Some parents didn't have time to pack their child's clothes," Natannah said. As the person running the donation centre, she was responsible for making sure people had access to clothing and essential toiletries. The community of about 927 people has been through multiple evacuations — two floods and three wildfires — but getting things organized can still be a challenge, she said. It was her first time taking on that responsibility and she said she wasn't quite sure how to tackle it initially. However, she said she was soon finding out what evacuees needed and collecting donations by sharing information online. The long days — the donation centre was open for 12 hours a day — took a physical toll, Natannah said. She ended each of the seven days exhausted with "cramped-up legs and body aches." However, Natannah said the volunteers were instructed in how to practise self-care, which they found was essential. Without that, she said, it would have been impossible to maintain her mental health. Making sandwiches Raven Reid, who is Mikisew Cree, works as a music teacher with the Community Arts Mentorship Program in Stanley Mission, Sask., a Woodland Cree community. She said they lost power early as the fires surrounded them. "Northern Saskatchewan was on fire and Stanley Mission was sort of right in the middle of it," Reid said. The evacuation of Stanley Mission began June 4. It was her first real experience of evacuation and Reid said she found it difficult to process. "It was really terrible to see. The smoke was very thick in the air," she said. As the community prepared to leave, teachers from the elementary and high schools pulled together and spent their days working to feed the community, Reid said. "So I was peeling potatoes for hours and making sandwiches," she said. They made 500 lunches for people to take with them as the first evacuations began. "It is a lot but when you're doing it from your heart, it doesn't seem like it's enough," she said. After that, Reid fled to Saskatoon where her kids live but she said many of her colleagues stayed behind to feed firefighters and other service people. The local co-op donated food to those still present and since the community was without reliable power for days on end, it was important to make sure the frozen foods were eaten quickly. "I really wish that I could have stayed, too… but my kids were really worried about me," Reid said. She said the principal asked her to then go to Regina — taking her son with her — to help the evacuees at the soccer stadium. She said she would bring her guitar to hopefully provide comfort, entertainment and learning. "It would be very scary to leave my community, especially if I have never been in a big city before," she said. "Fine arts always help a situation." The evacuation order for Stanley Mission was lifted June 12. Making a difference Residents of Chateh began returning home earlier this week. Natannah said while she felt the evacuation was well-managed by the community, there were some hiccups. Some evacuees struggled to manage the stress of the situation and took it out on volunteers, she said. "Not many people stop and take notice that a person's doing hard work over there," she said. However, she was grateful to those who took the time to express their thanks. "It makes my heart happy that they said some kind words saying that we did awesome work. It's like, 'thank you for noticing.'" Natannah said she isn't in it for praise, though. "It just makes me feel great that I'm making a difference," she said.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Chateh lifts evacuation order as wildfires let up from wet weather
Chateh residents can breathe a sigh of relief as a wildfire evacuation order is lifted thanks to wet and cooler conditions. Alberta Wildfire said Dene Tha' First Nation lifted its evacuation order on Tuesday, allowing members to return to the community of Chateh. Residents are advised to remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions worsen. The community was put under an evacuation order on May 29. On Monday, Swan Hills lifted its evacuation alert for the community as a nearby wildfire in the Slave Lake forest area is now 'being held.' Lac La Biche lifted its evacuation alert for southern Winefred Lake and Grist Lake. Other communities still under evacuation orders Several communities remain under evacuation orders as wildfires continue to burn in other parts of the province. Saddle Hills County's evacuation order now includes everyone located between Township Road 794 and Highway 680 (Township Road 802), and Range Road 95 and Highway 725, as well as the Crown Land north of Township Road 800 and south of the Blueberry Mountain Grazing Reserve. The surrounding areas are still under evacuation alert. The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council's evacuation orders for Loon Lake 235, Peerless Lake and Trout Lake remain in effect. Evacuation orders for Red Earth Creek and Chipewyan Lake are also still in place. Red Earth Creek complex One of the Red Earth Creek complex fires can be seen on June 3, 2025. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire) Highway 686 between Red Earth Creek and Trout Lake is currently closed due to a nearby wildfire. The County of Grande Prairie lifted its evacuation order, allowing all residents to return home. An evacuation alert remains in place for everyone north of Township Road 710 to 740, east of the provincial border with British Columbia to Range Road 132. Highway 671/Kelly Lake Road at the Alberta-B.C. border to Range Road 130, southwest of Hythe, is now open Those under an evacuation alert are to be prepared to leave within 30 minutes notice and should have three days worth supplies including food and water. Residents of Marten Beach and those in the Hawk Hills area should also be prepared to evacuate. Current wildfire situation There are currently 58 active wildfires burning in the province, 22 of them are classified as out-of-control. Nine are being held and 26 are under control. Alberta Wildfire said nine new fires have started in the last 24 hours. Kiskatinaw River The Kiskatinaw River wildfire along the B.C.-Alberta border can be seen from the sky in early June. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire) More than 1,500 firefighters from Alberta, Yukon, B.C., Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Australia, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii and the United States Forest Service are working on containing and extinguishing wildfires throughout the province. Fire bans A fire ban is still in effect for the High Level forest area, as well as parts of the Fort McMurray and Calgary forest areas. The County of Grande Prairie downgraded its fire ban to a fire restriction. Permitted burning is restricted to approved recreational fire pits, approved burn barrels and propane-fired appliances like barbecues and smokers. Under a fire ban, all outdoor wood fires, barbecue charcoal briquettes, fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited. Information on fire bans can be found here.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Dene Tha' First Nation hopes to lift evacuation order this week, Chief says
Dene Tha' First Nation, in northwestern Alberta, has a re-entry plan for wildfire evacuees that it hopes to execute in the coming days, according to Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza. The First Nation issued an evacuation order more than two weeks ago, on May 29, due to the Sousa Creek wildfire, which is burning several kilometres south of the community of Chateh, roughly 660 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The fire is still out of control as of Sunday afternoon, according to the Alberta Wildfire dashboard. But Hooka-Nooza told CBC News that the fire's boundary has been held five to eight kilometres from Chateh. The First Nation developed a re-entry plan, which it had hoped to put into action Sunday, he said. But now the hope is to start returning people to the community Tuesday. The plan is a phased approach that would strategically allow people home over a three-day period, with people who have respiratory health concerns arriving last, Hooka-Nooza said. Wildfires forced thousands of Albertans from their homes earlier this month. But communities have recently lifted evacuation orders and alerts amid recent cool temperatures and rainy weather. "It's been a welcome reprieve from the hot, dry conditions that we have seen previous to this, that did ignite and spread a lot of the fires that are burning across the province," Melissa Story, an Alberta Wildfire provincial information officer, told CBC News Sunday morning. Alberta Wildfire reported 57 total active wildfires throughout the province as of 4 p.m. MT Sunday, about 40 per cent of which out of control, its dashboard shows. Most of Alberta has a low or moderate fire danger, the dashboard shows. But some pockets, including the High Level Forest Area in northwestern Alberta, where the Sousa Creek fire is burning, still have an elevated risk. The area hasn't had rainfall like the other regions, but there is some precipitation in the forecast this week, Story said. "We'll have to wait and see what actually accumulates from it," she said. Hooka-Nooza said the weather in other regions allowed more firefighting resources to be sent to the area. Although the fire danger in most places has dropped, Story noted that there is still a lot of time left before wildfire season ends in October, and said the potential fire risk can change quickly based on the weather conditions.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Dene Tha' First Nation hopes to lift evacuation order this week, Chief says
Dene Tha' First Nation, in northwestern Alberta, has a re-entry plan for wildfire evacuees that it hopes to execute in the coming days, according to Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza. The First Nation issued an evacuation order more than two weeks ago, on May 29, due to the Sousa Creek wildfire, which is burning several kilometres south of the community of Chateh, roughly 660 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The fire is still out of control as of Sunday afternoon, according to the Alberta Wildfire dashboard. But Hooka-Nooza told CBC News that the fire's boundary has been held five to eight kilometres from Chateh. The First Nation developed a re-entry plan, which it had hoped to put into action Sunday, he said. But now the hope is to start returning people to the community Tuesday. The plan is a phased approach that would strategically allow people home over a three-day period, with people who have respiratory health concerns arriving last, Hooka-Nooza said. Wildfires forced thousands of Albertans from their homes earlier this month. But communities have recently lifted evacuation orders and alerts amid recent cool temperatures and rainy weather. "It's been a welcome reprieve from the hot, dry conditions that we have seen previous to this, that did ignite and spread a lot of the fires that are burning across the province," Melissa Story, an Alberta Wildfire provincial information officer, told CBC News Sunday morning. Alberta Wildfire reported 57 total active wildfires throughout the province as of 4 p.m. MT Sunday, about 40 per cent of which out of control, its dashboard shows. Most of Alberta has a low or moderate fire danger, the dashboard shows. But some pockets, including the High Level Forest Area in northwestern Alberta, where the Sousa Creek fire is burning, still have an elevated risk. The area hasn't had rainfall like the other regions, but there is some precipitation in the forecast this week, Story said. "We'll have to wait and see what actually accumulates from it," she said. Hooka-Nooza said the weather in other regions allowed more firefighting resources to be sent to the area. Although the fire danger in most places has dropped, Story noted that there is still a lot of time left before wildfire season ends in October, and said the potential fire risk can change quickly based on the weather conditions.
CBC
5 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Dene Tha' First Nation hopes to lift evacuation order this week, Chief says
Dene Tha' First Nation, in northwestern Alberta, has a re-entry plan for wildfire evacuees that it hopes to execute in the coming days, according to Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza. The First Nation issued an evacuation order more than two weeks ago, on May 29, due to the Sousa Creek wildfire, which is burning several kilometres south of the community of Chateh, roughly 660 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The fire is still out of control as of Sunday afternoon, according to the Alberta Wildfire dashboard. But Hooka-Nooza told CBC News that the fire's boundary has been held five to eight kilometres from Chateh. The First Nation developed a re-entry plan, which it had hoped to put into action Sunday, he said. But now the hope is to start returning people to the community Tuesday. The plan is a phased approach that would strategically allow people home over a three-day period, with people who have respiratory health concerns arriving last, Hooka-Nooza said. Wildfires forced thousands of Albertans from their homes earlier this month. But communities have recently lifted evacuation orders and alerts amid recent cool temperatures and rainy weather. "It's been a welcome reprieve from the hot, dry conditions that we have seen previous to this, that did ignite and spread a lot of the fires that are burning across the province," Melissa Story, an Alberta Wildfire provincial information officer, told CBC News Sunday morning. Alberta Wildfire reported 57 total active wildfires throughout the province as of 4 p.m. MT Sunday, about 40 per cent of which out of control, its dashboard shows. Most of Alberta has a low or moderate fire danger, the dashboard shows. But some pockets, including the High Level Forest Area in northwestern Alberta, where the Sousa Creek fire is burning, still have an elevated risk. The area hasn't had rainfall like the other regions, but there is some precipitation in the forecast this week, Story said. "We'll have to wait and see what actually accumulates from it," she said. Hooka-Nooza said the weather in other regions allowed more firefighting resources to be sent to the area. Although the fire danger in most places has dropped, Story noted that there is still a lot of time left before wildfire season ends in October, and said the potential fire risk can change quickly based on the weather conditions.
