When wildfires swept through Manitoba’s remote north in late May, 63-year-old Joseph Garry fled the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation—also known as Pukatawagan—aboard a helicopter. After a series of government-arranged flights and a long bus ride, he found temporary shelter in Niagara Falls, Ontario, more than 2,000 kilometres from home.
He’s one of thousands forced to evacuate as wildfires tore through parts of Manitoba, Northern Ontario, and other provinces, disrupting communities, industries, and filling skies with smoke as far as the U.S.
First Nations communities, though only 5% of Canada’s population, have borne a disproportionate share of this year’s wildfire crisis. Manitoba is now managing the largest evacuation in its history. With cities like Winnipeg reaching capacity, authorities began relocating evacuees to places like Niagara Falls, where available hotels can offer longer-term lodging.
As of this week, approximately 2,000 evacuees from Manitoba and 500 from Ontario are staying in four hotels in Niagara Falls, according to Fire Chief Jo Zambito. While Niagara Falls has welcomed them, Mayor Jim Diodati urged federal and provincial officials to begin planning alternative housing as the city heads into peak tourism season.
Many evacuees, like Garry, described a chaotic and terrifying escape. Videos from Pukatawagan showed military helicopters airlifting residents as thick smoke blanketed the community of 3,000 and fires closed in. Garry, who worked at the local airfield, was separated from part of his family during the evacuation but reunited with all 50 members of his extended family once in Niagara Falls.
“To tell you the truth… It’s scary. Not for myself, but for everybody else. Especially children,” Garry said through tears, recalling the moment a pilot warned evacuees that flames were just half a kilometre away and closing in fast.
Others, like 43-year-old Vanessa Hart, said they waited days for outside help despite repeated appeals from local leaders. “They didn’t come and help right away,” she said, adding that the delays intensified fear and hardship.
Indigenous Services Canada, the federal agency overseeing the evacuation, acknowledged that emergency response is shared with local authorities. Manitoba’s government cited dangerous smoke as the reason water bombers were initially grounded near Pukatawagan, though they emphasised air support has since been used wherever possible.
Returning home remains uncertain for evacuees, with rail and air access potentially weeks or months away.
Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, described the wildfire response as pretty chaotic and called for immediate investment in essential infrastructure, like fire trucks and hydrants, to better prepare First Nations for future disasters.
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