Evacuating a First Nation Due to Wildfire Smoke: The Case of Dene Tha’ First Nation

Kyla D. Mottershead; Tara K. McGee; Amy Christianson

doi:10.1007/s13753-020-00281-y

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Disaster Risk Science > 2020 > 11(3): 274-286

Kyla D. Mottershead, Tara K. McGee, Amy Christianson. Evacuating a First Nation Due to Wildfire Smoke: The Case of Dene Tha’ First Nation[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2020, 11(3): 274-286. doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00281-y

Citation:

Kyla D. Mottershead, Tara K. McGee, Amy Christianson. Evacuating a First Nation Due to Wildfire Smoke: The Case of Dene Tha’ First Nation[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2020, 11(3): 274-286. doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00281-y

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Evacuating a First Nation Due to Wildfire Smoke: The Case of Dene Tha’ First Nation

doi: 10.1007/s13753-020-00281-y

1 Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada;
2 Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, Canada

Funds:

The authors would like to acknowledge the support received from Chief and Council and administration of Dene Tha’ First Nation in carrying out this research. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the assistance received from Chief James Ahnassay, Sidney Chambaud, Linda Semansha and research assistants Tina Yakinneah and Cameron Chalifoux for their time, support and helpful advice. We acknowledge the members of Dene Tha’ First Nation who shared their experiences during interviews. This research was made possible through funding received from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada in the form of the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship and a Partnership Development Grant. Other grants and scholarship support included the Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ Graduate Scholarship, the Walter H. Johns Graduate Scholarship, the Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship, the Northern Scientific Training Program Grant, the Canadian Circumpolar Institute CBAR Grant, and the Eugene Brody Graduate Scholarship.

Available Online: 2021-04-26

Abstract

Abstract

Almost every year, First Nations are evacuated in Canada because of wildfire proximity and smoke. Dynamics of wildfires, and remote locations, unique sociocultural characteristics, and limited emergency management resources present challenges for evacuation organizers and residents. This study explores how Dene Tha' First Nation evacuated their Taché community in July 2012 due to wildfire smoke and how the evacuation process affected evacuees. Interviews were completed with 31 evacuation organizers and residents to examine the factors that helped and hindered the evacuation process. Lack of information about the nearby wildfire, smoke, and evacuation of the nearby small community of Zama City, combined with a generic evacuation plan, delayed and posed challenges during the evacuation of this Dene Tha' community. Strong leadership and its role in community organizing, keeping families together, providing the social support they needed, and using familiar host communities, demonstrated and contributed to the community's resilience during the evacuation. Measures to improve evacuations and emergency management in the community and other First Nations in Canada are identified and discussed.
- Community resilience,
- Evacuation planning,
- First Nations,
- Indigenous peoples,
- Wildfire smoke

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References(70)

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