#northwest territories wildfires

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Yellowknife residents have been ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approach, N.W.T. officials announced Wednesday evening. While the city is not in immediate danger, Environment Minister Shane Thompson said a "phased approach" to evacuating will allow citizens to get out safely by car or by plane. The evacuation order says residents should leave "according to risk." People living along Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, and the Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle business district in Yellowknife are considered at highest risk and are urged to leave as soon as possible.

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[vox-anglosphere]

Though 18 indigenous families lost their homes, rain has finally come to northern Alberta. It's been called the worst fire season on record.

[cerys-capricorn]

The country I live in is on fire with millions of acres destroyed and thousands of people evacuated. This is potentially the 2nd time in 4 years that people will loose everything they have (as the 2019 Canadian wildfires were also horrendous). Millions are suffering displacement, homelessness, and health risks due to the wildfires across the country. I live in British Columbia and I remember 2019. This is so much worse. The ENTIRE country is pretty much on fire.

And what do the people of the U.S.A immediately say? “Blame Canada!” “We need to invade them bc clearly something is wrong up there” “Canada fucking sucks!” “Ugh, here is my Timelapse of how smokey the sky is, but apparently it will be gone in 2 days.”

Well Americans aren’t the ones who have to deal with the LITERAL GIANT FIRES SCORCHING THEIR NEIGHBOURHOODS AND FORESTS! They don’t have to pack up everything they own and hope, JUST HOPE, they come back and their homes aren’t burnt to the ground. They don’t have to hope their communities aren’t entirely destroyed. They don’t have to worry if their friends, families, and animals are okay. They are not the ones trapped due to roads being closed and heavy debris falling as the fires become uncontrollable. And they only seem to care when it is them on fire. But if another country is? They don’t fucking bat an eye, and yet the rest of the world helps them when they are in need.

So instead of complaining Americans, how about you fucking help for once? We are thankful you sent some of your firefighters to help us, but in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t enough. The U.S.A as a country is the 2nd biggest C02 producer in the world, which heavily contributes to the worsening of climate change, hence the wildfires. But Americans seem to forget this little fact. They forget that their politics and their environmental policies have literally fucked the rest of the world. So stop being so fucking selfish and actually help for once by contacting your local, state, and federal government(s). Stop voting for absolute idiots that want climate change to worsen so their pockets can be filled. Help by spreading information that will help those impacted, volunteer if you can, and maybe consider donating if you have the means. Or at least have some goddamn compassion and sympathy.

Here are some ways you can help:

• United Way for the Northwest Territories

All money donated goes to those affected by the wildfires in the NWT. Every donation is matched by the Federal Canadian and NWT governments.

• The Canadian Red Cross

All donations go towards those most impacted by wildfires across the Canadian Maritimes "with immediate and ongoing relief, recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, as well as supporting community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Atlantic Canada”. The Federal Canadian and Nova Scotia provincial government have committed to matching each $1 donation to become $3.

• Donate A Mask

This organization ships free N95 respirator equivalent masks across Canada to those affected by the wildfires and for those who cannot afford high-quality and high-grade medical masks.

• Firefighters Without Borders

Firefighters Without Borders is a organization based in Ontario that provides equipment and training to local firefighters and communities across Canada. This helps in fighting current and future wildfires and promotes prevention. It also supports local firefighters to host and provide equipment to international firefighters when Canada needs assistance.

• Odawa Native Friendship Centre

The Odawa Native Friendship Centre is an organization serving the Ottawa-Carleton region in Ontario by helping Indigenous peoples that have had to evacuate their homes due to the wildfires. They accept money donations and usually accept clothing donations as well, but they are not taking clothing items at this time.

• The Central Okanagan Food Bank BC Wildfires Emergency Food Relief Fund

This organization donates much needed food to those impacted by the wildfires who are currently facing food insecurity. They have expanded to helping the entire province as the wildfires have spread.

For more information and to stay up to date:

[djhinnwe]

Taking a break from my ACTRA rage for a minute to bring you: FIRES IN BC!

Hey everyone,

As you may or may not know BC is on fire.

As usual the Central and South Okanagan are weathering the worst of it. If you are travelling for your vacation... don't. It isn't quite as egregious as the Maui fires or even the Yellowknife fires as we are far more prepared for disaster of this size, but we literally do not have room for you.

The "completely gone" is as of this morning, August 18th 2023.

Red = under evacuation, orange = on alert.

Stay home and when you come visit next year PUT YOUR FUCKING FIRES OUT. Or get one of the smokeless firepit options that exist so you don't fucking light us on fire in the first place.

Anyway, we'll ultimately be fine. This has been our summer for the last 10+ years. The infrastructure that Maui and Yellowknife lack exists here. We'll cry and we'll mourn, and we might lose a few people, but most of what is going to be lost is just stuff (I will likely be losing some heirlooms due to my storage locker being in West Kelowna at this rate and I cannot go get them due to being locked out for lack of payment b/c I forgot to pay August).

So if you want to help, put Maui and Yellowknife first.

To help Maui: https://mauinuistrong.info/support

To help NWT: https://cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/help-for-evacuees-calgary-red-deer-1.6940623 (bottom of article)

To help BC: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017T

[tomorrowusa]

«It's just an unbelievable summer. It's the kind of extreme weather that we climate scientists have been warning about for decades – it just now seems to be happening everywhere, all at once.»

—Climate scientist Peter Gleick, a senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, on the torrent of climate disasters over the past few months. Quoted at the journal Foreign Policy.

Yep, they've been warning us for decades, but the fossil fuel companies have have devoted copious amounts of money to try to stifle those warnings.

Even as I type this in late afternoon in the Northeast of the US, another potential disaster is looming. Wildfires are threatening Yellowknife – the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories.

Yellowknifers head to Alberta as serious wildfire conditions continue

The mayor is still in the city coordinating efforts.

Also in Canada, British Columbia is experiencing a wildfire emergency near West Kelowna.

Letting people know about such occurrences is what Republicans like Ron DeSantis call "politicization of the weather". 🙄

[memenewsdotcom]

Wildfire evacuations in Yellowknife

[cakerybakery]

Ohh that can’t be good. I’ve never seen it black before.

That did not help!!

[magpiedminx]

(If I did the tw flags wrong, please someone correct me. I don't wanna squick or trigger anyone.)

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane says her jurisdiction’s infrastructure is similar to that of “third-world countries” compared to communities in southern Canada. Cochrane said she’s been “tired for a long time” asking the federal government for more infrastructure commitments, but now she’s “angry,” amid calls for Ottawa to extend more help to the wildfire-ravaged region. “We've been asking for the same infrastructure, roads, communications, that people in Canada take for granted for decades,” she said, adding she’s been “screaming for infrastructure for decades,” especially for the 22 communities with no permanent roads in or out. “Our (fire) season is not done,” Cochrane also said. “But if this happens next year, is it my fault? Whose fault is it, when we can't get people out, because we don't have basic infrastructure that every Canadian takes for granted?”

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[vox-anglosphere]

After a grim fire season, the town of Hay River settles in for winter.

[michaelgabrill]

[yinlotus]

the smoke from the wildfires in canada are crossing the atlantic and is now bringing a haze to the nordic countries

it's said that the soot from the smoke will deposit onto the snow and ice of the arctic which will in turn increase local warming (i.e worst wildfires, ice sheets melting, oceans warming and rising, stronger tropical cyclones, etc. etc.)

From the NY Times (and other sources):

Ways to Help

The Canadian Red Cross: Every $1 donated to the Canadian Red Cross will become $3 to support those affected by wildfires. The funds will be directed to people living in Nova Scotia and other Atlantic provinces, some of the hardest hit areas, for immediate and ongoing relief and recovery efforts as well as community preparedness initiatives.

United Way: The Canadian federal government joined the government of the Northwest Territories in a similar matching program to support disaster relief and recovery efforts. The funds will be used to support nonprofit community groups who are helping local residents.

Donate a Mask: This volunteer-run charity ships free N95-equivalent masks to anyone in Canada who requests them, with priority to Canadians who cannot afford or do not have access to high-quality masks.

Firefighters Without Borders: This Ontario-based nonprofit donates equipment and training to communities across Canada and in other countries.

Odawa Native Friendship Centre: The Odawa NFC is a nonprofit organization serving the Indigenous community in the Ottawa-Carleton region and is currently collecting donations for First Nation evacuees (with “wildfire evacuees” as the donation type). On Facebook, the NFC noted that it can no longer accept clothing donations.

Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC): Live map of the fires. Updated daily.

APTN National News: Newspaper on the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Can be used to understand how the climate is affecting the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations.

[gravewaax]

canada is burning

hey friends. wanted to draw attention to the unprecedented wildfire season us canucks are currently having (and especially how these have been impacting indigenous communities).

3.3 million hectares of wildland have currently burned across the country. this is 10 times the average amount of fires that we experience per year. there’s air pollution advisories all over, with conditions ranging from persistent smokey hazes to orange skies and a red sun and general hellish atmosphere. communities are burning and people are being evacuated. i’m going to go over which provinces are the most affected along with some links to resources.

*updated 11/07/2023. please link me to any updated resources or personal fundraisers and i’ll edit them in.

QUEBEC:

currently headlining because they have 160 (mostly out of control) fires and the smoke is hanging over southern ontario, where most of canada’s population lives.

the Algonquins of barriere lake have been displaced. the community has a population of 800, with a number of people living in cabins along traditional traplines. the Maniwaki Native Friendship Centre has been taking in evacuees, as well as providing meals and support. i believe they’ve closed donations for now, but keep an eye on their socials in case anything changes.

edit: mutual aid request for the Algonquins of barrier lake can be found here. physical donations can be dropped off at ramada plaza, gatineau, quebec.

edit: Odawa Native Friendship Centre is taking donations to assist evacuees.

MARITIMES- NOVA SCOTIA & NEW BRUNSWICK:

following heavy rainfall, people are beginning to return to their homes in NS. due to the location of the fires, ruptured fuel and chemical tanks may have contaminated the groundwater. if you live in NS, free well-water testing kits are beginning to be circulated. samples can be dropped off at the following locations.

the canadian red cross is taking donations to provide humanitarian aid to those displaced in NB and NS, including shelter.

edit: fundraiser for a lost home in nova scotia, having raised almost 2000 of the $8000 goal.

ALBERTA:

set a record in may for the most hectares burned in a year, sitting pretty at over 1.3 million. the previous fire season was less than 500.

the east prairie Métis have been especially affected, losing 29 homes in a community of only 300 people. while this was in early may, and they’re starting to recover, their official gofundme is here. they’re about halfway to raising $50,000, with the aim to prioritize the 14 families who lost actively lived-in homes. the high prairie friendship centre is also taking physical donations if you live in the area. edit: been made aware that there is a fantastic linktree to individual fundraisers regarding the loss of homes.

edit: fox lake was also forced to evacuate back in early may. Little Red River Cree Nation had to escape across peace river on a barge. they have a fundraiser with 30 of $50,000 raised to purchase baby supplies and household items for the affected.

the canadian red cross is taking donations for alberta as well.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES:

K’atl’odeeche First Nation and their neighbouring community hay river were displaced. as of late may, the K’atl’odeeche chief, Martel, is still trying to set up a 100 person encampment for those who were impacted by the fires. while hay river has been allowed to return, there is no timeline yet for KFN. chief Martel says that people from hay river have been ignoring the barricades set up at the reserve and she is concerned for the safety of her community. please be aware that chief Martel has asked photos of the damage not to be shared on social media, as members of her community have not yet been allowed back on the reserve to see it firsthand. sacred sites and traditional traplines have been destroyed. please be respectful.

i couldn’t find many fundraisers for the NWT, unfortunately. it appears that united way is taking monetary donations, yellowknife evacuation centre is taking giftcards, and the yellowknife salvation army is accepting physical donations.

SASKATCHEWAN:

in early may there were wildfires in northern sask that displaced the Clearwater Dene Nation. i wasn’t able to find any updates or fundraisers on the situation, but their live map indicates there are still 4 uncontained fires. you can imagine this is not good on a huge swath of flat, hot, dry land full of flammable grass.

*NEW* ONTARIO

i’ve been made aware of a fundraiser for the Anishinaabe of Grassy Narrows. last year, their one and only fire escape route was washed out by flooding. as canada experiences its worst fire season in years, it’s absolutely crucial that this road be repaired as soon as possible. they’ve currently raised about 16k of their 40k goal.

since the community banned industrial extraction (logging/mining) the ontario government has stopped maintaining the roads in the area. Grassy Narrows deserves justice and support during these hard times.