About 200 people from Mattagami First Nation are being evacuated as a wildfire continues to burn out of control west of the community.
Chief Jennifer Constant said the decision to evacuate was made on Tuesday (June 2) after officials looked at weather forecasts, fire behaviour, and updates from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
“The winds have been in our favour, and we've been fortunate since Sunday that the wind has been going south to southeast,” Constant told Village Media.
“With our last update yesterday evening at about five, we recognized that the winds are expected to shift and be heading directly towards us, and that the temperature today is going to be a bit volatile.”
The Timmins 9 wildfire, which started on Sunday (May 31), has grown quickly in recent days to about 460 hectares, which is roughly the size of 859 football fields. The Ministry of Natural Resources reports that the fire is about 10 kilometres north of Gogama, eight kilometres west of Highway 144, and 14 kilometres west of Mattagami First Nation. The fire is still out of control.
A new fire, Timmins 10, was reported northwest of it yesterday. It’s located east of Kasasway Lake and was last mapped at 1.5 hectares. It’s still listed as not under control.
Given how fast Timmins 9 has grown, the new blaze also has leaders worried.
“With all the variables, we would much rather err on the side of caution instead of reacting to whatever the circumstances will be in a worst-case scenario,” said Constant.
Earlier this week, community officials started asking residents to pack emergency bags and collect their medications while final plans were being made.
Initially, the evacuation plan was for about 64 vulnerable residents, such as elders, people with health issues, pregnant women, families with young children, and those with mobility challenges.
Two buses were put on standby earlier this week, and a third is expected to help with transportation. Residents are being relocated to Barrie, where community leaders are arranging accommodations and support services.
One concern repeatedly raised by residents was what would happen to their pets.
Constant said organizations, including the Ontario SPCA, have stepped in to help.
“The number one concern they were expressing, obviously aside from their property and their safety, was for their pets,” she said.
“We've been working with Ontario SPCA, and they've said they will meet us at the location and have everything that we need.”
Not everyone is leaving as part of the organized evacuation.
Constant said a few residents have signed waivers and made other plans to stay with family elsewhere. But if the fire comes within five kilometres of Mattagami First Nation, emergency workers and volunteers still in the community will also have to leave.
The last full wildfire evacuation of Mattagami First Nation occurred in 2012, when residents were displaced for more than a week due to another major forest fire. That fire was also called Timmins 9.
Despite the uncertainty, Constant said she feels encouraged by how residents and community partners have responded.
“We're very appreciative of all of the different community partners who have reached out or who have shown support to our community during this time,” she said.
She also thanked the people helping to organize the evacuation.
“We're extremely proud of our crisis team, our fire department, and all of the volunteers that we have in Mattagami, who are really standing up and doing such a wonderful job given the circumstances.”
The MNR's daily forest fire update is available here. There's also an interactive fire map here.