newsletter #2 - University of Alberta

Formerly
Newsletter #2
September 2014
Overview
Summer 2014 has been full of research and a name change!
This partnership brings
together researchers, First
Nation communities in
Ontario, Saskatchewan
and Alberta that were
evacuated due to recent
wildfires, and agencies
responsible for conducting
or providing support
during these evacuations.
The goal is to examine
how Aboriginal residents
and communities have
been affected by wildfire
evacuations and identify
ways to reduce negative
impacts of wildfire
evacuations on Aboriginal
people.
Because all partner communities are First Nations, the decision was made to change the
partnership name from Aboriginal Wildfire Evacuation (AWE) partnership to First Nations
Wildfire Evacuation partnership. The website address is still www.eas.ualberta.ca/awe
Tara and Amy travelled to Whitefish Lake First Nation for meetings with Councillors and
other key contacts in June 2014, and to interview residents in July.
Kyla spent part of June and August in Meander River, Dene Tha’ First Nation, to learn from
residents about their evacuation experiences.
Henok travelled to Deer Lake First Nation and Sandy Lake First Nation to meet with Chief
and council and key contacts, and prepare for research in summer 2015.
The next partnership teleconference is in September 2, 2014.
Best wishes for the fall and winter! We will be analyzing data!
Left: Unburned Aboriginal Shrine close to the highway
near Chan Lake, between Behchocko and Providence,
NWTFire (Violet Camsell-Blondin)
Above: Spreading Creek Fire near Banff National Park,
across the highway from a First Nation ceremonial site
(AESRD)
Research team
Dr. Tara McGee
University of Alberta
Tara is the academic lead for the
partnership. Her research
program focuses on the human
dimensions of wildfires and
other hazards. She supervises
graduate students and teaches
undergraduate courses on social
science aspects of hazards. Tara
is collecting data with
Mishkeegogamang Ojibway
Nation and Whitefish Lake
(Atikameg) First Nation.
Amy is a Fire Social Scientist
and works with Aboriginal
communities on fire
management.
Dr. Amy Christianson
Canadian Forest Service
Henok is a PhD student in the
Department of Earth and
Atmospheric Sciences. He will
be collecting data with Deer
Lake First Nation and Sandy
Lake First Nation.
Kyla is an MA student in the
Department of Earth and
Atmospheric Sciences. She will
be collecting data with Dene
Tha’ First Nation.
Kyla Mottershead
She is collecting data with
Whitefish Lake (Atikameg)
First Nation and will be
collecting data with Onion
Lake Cree Nation.
Henok Asfaw
Large Wildfire Conference in Montana
Amy attended the Large Wildfire Conference in Missoula Montana
in May 2014. She presented a poster on the partnership and
attended a workshop on “Fire Management Across Tribal/NonTribal Jurisdictions’.
Researchers
and
practitioner
s from
Canada,
Australia,
Chile, and
the USA
Frank Lake (United States Forest Service) leading the workshop
Research with Dene Tha’ First Nation
Kyla spent 2.5 weeks during the month of June interviewing
members of Dene Tha’ First Nation who experienced a
wildfire evacuation in July 2012.
Kyla wishes to thank Linda Semansha (Emergency
Coordinator) and Councillor Sidney Chambaud for their
assistance and advice during this time. She also wishes to
thank the staff of the Meander River Complex for their
assistance and use of their space.
After this initial stage of data collection, Kyla recruited 2
research assistants to help with a second stage of data
collection.
In August, Kyla returned to Meander River for another week
where she worked with Cameron Chalifoux and Tina
Yakinneah to recruit and interview more residents of
Meander River. Kyla wishes to thank them for their
invaluable assistance and warm hospitality. She also wishes
to thank the staff of the Meander River Health Centre for
their assistance and use of their space during the week.
Finally, Kyla wishes to thank all the residents of Meander
River who shared their stories with her in both June and
August.
Research with Whitefish Lake (Atikameg) First Nation
(From L-R) Sharon Sahlin, Tara McGee, Amy Christianson, and Sheila Laboucan
In June, Tara and Amy travelled to Whitefish Lake (Atikameg) First Nation to meet with the Head of Public Works and
Councillors to invite the community to participate in the partnership. Whitefish Lake had been evacuated in 2011 due to
the Utikuma Lake Complex Fires. The evacuation lasted over two weeks.
In July, Tara and Amy returned to the community to meet with residents to learn about their evacuation experiences.
Research assistants Sharon Sahlin and Sheila Laboucan helped to arrange and conduct interviews. Tara and Amy would like
to extend a big thanks to Councillors Darren Auger and Hughie Tallman for their assistance, to George Grey for the tour of
the wildfire effects, and to Sharon and Sheila for their invaluable help.
As well, Tara and Amy would like to express their appreciation to all residents who sat down with them to talk about their
evacuation experiences.
George Grey shows the research team where the community battled the fire
Visit to Deer Lake First Nation
Henok with Health Centre Staff
In July 2014, Henok flew to Deer Lake and Sandy Lake First Nations to meet with key community leaders, as well as others who
were involved in helping to carry out wildfire evacuations.
In Deer Lake, Henok met with Chief Roy Dale Meekis, Garlere Meekis (Health Director), Howard Meekis (Crisis Coordinator), and
members of the Deer Lake Health Centre to learn about the evacuation. The research project was discussed with Chief and
Council, the Health Director and other members of the Health Centre and valuable inputs were obtained. A research assistant
was also recruited who will assist during the main data collection period next summer (2015). Henok wishes to thank Chief and
Council and all members of the Health Centre. Thanks in particular to Howard Meekis and Geraldine Meekis for their hospitality.
Henok with Deer Lake Health Director and Health Centre Staff
Visit to Sandy Lake First Nation
Sandy Lake Assistant Health Director Ambrose Fi Sandy Lake
Assistant Health Director Ambrose Fiddler
Henok and Sandy Lake Councillor Fabian Crow
In Sandy Lake, Henok met with Chief Bart Meekis, former Chief Adam Fiddler, Fabien Crew (Band Councillor), Joan Catherine
ddler
Rie (Health Director), Ambrose Fiddler (Assistant Health Director), Edith Kakepetum (Community
Health Representative) and
other members of the Health Centre. Discussions were held with each of the community leaders and health workers to learn
about the 2011 wildfire evacuation and valuable inputs were obtained that help further improve the research project. A
research assistant was also recruited who will help Henok to plan his research. Henok will be back in the community in
summer 2015. Henok wishes to thank Chief Bart Meekis, former Chief Adam Fiddler and all members of the Health Centre.
Thanks in particular to Councillor Fabien Crew for his hospitality.
Former Chief Adam Fiddler
ddler
Up next: Wildland Fire Canada 2014 in Halifax, amy
returns to whitefish lake (atikameg), data analysis