BEARSKIN LAKE FIRST NATION, Ont. - With water levels on the rise again in a remote First Nation, plans are underway to evacuate the most vulnerable members of the community.
A state of emergency was declared in Bearskin Lake First Nation last weekend due to flooding resulting from an ice jam on the White Sands Rapids along the Severn River.
According to Nishnawbe Aski Nation, 175 members of the approximately 500 people living in the community located 600 kilometres north of Thunder Bay are being evacuated Wednesday afternoon on two flights destined for Sioux Lookout.
There were signs water levels were receding on Monday and any evacuations were held off. According to NAN Grand Chief, Alvin Fiddler, there are signs that water is flowing again on the river.
“It sounds hopeful. I’m hoping that the river will continue to flow through that one little channel that has opened up,” Fiddler said. “But still, chief Rodney McKay and council had to make some difficult decisions to ensure they protect their membership to keep them out of harm’s way, which is why they made the call yesterday to evacuate their membership today.”
The city of Thunder Bay is expected to host approximately 180 evacuees in the next 48-hours. The evacuees will be assisted by the city of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Police Service, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, Superior North EMS, Emergency Management Ontario and Canadian Red Cross.
"Thunder Bay’s Emergency Operations Control Group is very experienced in dealing with these types of emergencies,” said Mayor Bill Mauro in a release issued by the city. “Our decision to be a host community is based on confirmation that at this time we have the necessary resources to meet the needs of our community and the evacuees.”
Initially it was stated the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry would be travelling to the area with an explosives expert to free the ice jam using dynamite.
“The idea of using dynamite as a way of unjamming the ice block was considered for a while, but I think it’s off the table now,” Fiddler said. “There were concerns that were expressed by Chief Burke and the people in Fort Severn, who are further down river, who were concerned about the flow of water they would be faced with if that were to happen.”
