Forty people gathered at tables in a school gymnasium in Behchokǫ̀ on Wednesday night, sharing stories of resilience, confusion and anger over the 2023 wildfire season.
Repeated themes were the absent, slow or confusing communications from the GNWT, and a lack of help for evacuees when returning home after 10 days to ruined fridges and freezers full of spoiled food.
The public dump at Behchokǫ̀ has a small mountain of ruined appliances from the summer of 2023. (CKLB files)
The historic wildfires ruined trails for hunting, as fallen burned trees need to be cut away. And aquatic life is still at threat from the tons of ash that rained down.
Calls were made for the Tłı̨chǫ Government to obtain environment and natural resources jurisdiction from the GNWT.
Elder James Lafferty said a good chunk of the 39,000 square-kilometre Tłı̨chǫ land-claim area was burned due to poor judgment by the GNWT.
“Our people never lost as much land to forest fires in the past,” he said. “If a forest fire starts even in a small area, we need to get on to it and not let it burn, but put it out right away.
“If the GNWT cannot put out the forest fires for the communities, as self-government nations, we have to step in and take on this responsibility.”
Bertha Black said the beginning of the evacuation was nerve-wracking.
She wondered about how the children will process what happened in the summer of 2023, watching the adults deal with the massive wildfires, chaotic communications and evacuations to Yellowknife reception centre.
The community of Behchokǫ̀ as wildfire nears. (Photo courtesy of David Woodz)
“What really strikes me today, we’re in 2024 we’re about to get into 2025 and is there any coverage for PTSD? Like little children are talking, ‘Oh, do you remember what happened?’ she said, adding her sister’s house was one of several buildings that burned down.
“Who’s helping us to recover, emotionally, physically, spiritually, in all ways?”
Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty told the crowd he is in discussions with federal and territorial governments about increasing community firefighters’ capabilities and bolstering local decision-making duties.
“When evacuation happened, the whole (GNWT) bureaucracy flew to Edmonton, and just left us behind,” he said.
“But anyways, we survived, and we’ve learned from our experience, we must prevent this from happening again, somehow.”
Edmonton’s Transitional Solutions facilitated the three-hour open house, part of the after-action review of the 2023 wildfire emergency response contracted earlier this year by the GNWT.
The consultants have visited many smaller communities as well as Yellowknife.A report identifying lessons learned and recommendations for improvement should be ready by March.
A group discussion on Wednesday night in Behchokǫ̀ at a three-hour after-action review of the 2023 wildfires and evacuations. (James O’Connor/CKLB)
