Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak today on serious concerns about the timing of the evacuation of Fort Providence during the recent recent wildfire threat this past summer.
On August 31st, Fort Providence announced an evacuation order with a wildfire less than 2 kilometres north of the community - 900 metres to be precise. This evacuation order came far too late when the fire was already dangerously close to the community. This delay put residents at risk and created unnecessary panic and hardship.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Environment and Climate Change is responsible for wildfire detection, assessment, and operational response. It is the department that monitors fire behaviour, models risks, and advises on evacuation timing. In the case of Fort Providence, the warning signs were there yet the response lagged. This begs the question why did it take so long for the evacuation to occur?
Wildfires are becoming more aggressive and unpredictable. Climate change is accelerating these threats, and our communities are increasingly vulnerable. We need a broader safety margin, one that accounts for the speed and volatility of modern wildfires and the logistical realities of evacuating remote communities.
Mr. Speaker, I am calling on the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to review wildfire response protocols. We need earlier action, clearer communication, and stronger safeguards. Better communication both internally and within the GNWT and with community governments is a critical step towards ensuring that communities like Fort Providence are not left scrambling when danger is already at their doorstep. Our residents deserve better. They deserve a system that prioritizes safety and acts decisively. We need to learn from this experience and ensure that future wildfire responses are timely, proactive, and rooted in the realities of climate change. I am going to ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, colleagues. And I, too, would like to thank the community of Hay River for hosting the evacuees from Fort Providence, the K'atlodeeche First Nations for help assisting take care of the elders, and all the firefighters that came from far and from in the territory during this wildfire season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
