‘Trying to fight a fire with a water pistol': First Nations leaders call for more resources to fight wildfires in Manitoba
First Nations leaders in northern Manitoba say they don't have proper equipment to fight the wildfires that are devastating their communities and forced thousands of people to evacuate.
Multiple leaders spoke at a joint news conference Tuesday, calling on the province and federal governments to provide more support to help ensure people living in their communities are safe.
'Our chiefs, our leadership, they're having to respond and be reactive to what is happening right now, rather than being proactive,' said the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs' Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.
'If they had the tools and they had the equipment that they need to keep their community safe with any natural disaster, then they would have been able to approach this in a different way.'
Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias and Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Chief Gordie Bear have both said their communities have not received any firefighting equipment since the state of emergency was declared by the province.
According to the latest fire bulletin from the province on Monday, the fire near Mathias Colomb is around 10,000 hectares in size and burning out of control, while the Pimicikamak fire is around 3,300 hectares in size and also burning out of control.
Bear said all the community has is two fire trucks and garden hoses used to flood the hockey rink.
'We have a pile of garden hoses and cots. We don't need those cots. We have beds at home. Give us equipment; we'll protect ourselves and we'll stop the fire,' said Bear. 'Give us resources; give us the power.'
All but 50 essential workers have been evacuated from the community.
Monias said his community has just one fire truck and nothing else.
'I even asked for a fire truck if they can even let us borrow one so we can spray the houses, the rooftops, and try and prevent any embers from flying off onto the shingles to make sure that we are protecting our property,' said Monias.
Monias said the people who are fighting the fires are doing a great job, and he thanked them for all their work, but noted there aren't enough people.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief Garrison Settee said Manitoba would be facing a very different situation right now if the proper supports were already in place in all of these communities.
'They could have put out many of these fires if they had basic fire suppression tools, water tankers, even things like hoses and protective gear,' said Settee.
'It's like trying to fight a fire with a water pistol. That's what our leaders are faced with. That's what our firefighters are faced with.'
Wilson said it is time for the provincial and federal governments to step up and provide the support that is needed to get the fires under control and allow the 17,000-plus evacuees to return home.
'It doesn't matter about jurisdictional issues or who's responsible for what. We needed equipment in the communities yesterday,' said Wilson.
Wilson said she is doing an assessment of what is needed in each community and will be sending her findings to both the province and federal government.
CTV News has reached out to the Manitoba and federal governments for comment.
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