Two First Nations in Ontario's far north have declared states of emergency and are planning evacuations as wildfires threaten their communities.
Leaders in Deer Lake First Nation, near the Manitoba boundary, made their declaration today and say they are planning a "complete community evacuation" involving 1,300 people.
A forest fire burning nearby is estimated to be nearly 75 square kilometres in size.
Barrie's News Delivered To Your Inbox
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Central Ontario Broadcasting, 431 Huronia Rd, Barrie, Ontario, CA, https://www.cobroadcasting.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Webequie First Nation, about 540 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont., declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of a wildfire burning within a kilometre of the community.
It says it has initiated the first phase of an evacuation for elders, children and residents with medical conditions.
Band Councillor Tyler Shewaybick confirmed to Barrie 360 on Saturday evening that the evacuation to Barrie will take place on Monday.
He says the fire near the community remains active and out of control but there is limited aircraft availability caused by high demand in other fire zones.
"At the moment, there is no smoke coming toward the community," added Shewaybick. "We have an emergency team coordinating with the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) and other partners."
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall told Barrie 360 that they are ready to help and assist, but had no further details to provide.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025, with files from Barrie 360
