After the fire: Remote First Nation in northern Alberta struggling to rebuild, 2 years later
CBC
Chief Conroy Sewepagaham of Little Red River Cree Nation points to ground zero — the spot where the wildfire started two years ago.
"That's where all hell broke loose," he said.
More than 7,000 people live in the three communities that make up Little Red River Cree Nation — John D'Or Prairie, Garden River and Fox Lake.
Fox Lake is the largest with more than 4,000 people, said Sewepagaham. But it's also the most remote, being about 800 kilometres north of Edmonton.
Access in summer is by air or the deeply rutted dirt Highway 58 with a barge across the Peace River. In the winter, there's an ice road.
The Paskwa fire started May 2, 2023, near the community of Fox Lake. It burned until the following year and covered tens of thousands of hectares.
The fire has had a lasting effect on the community in many ways. A smoky day with hot, dry conditions can trigger bad memories.
"I'm on edge, to be honest with you," Sewepagaham said.
"The last time I've seen this much smoke, we evacuated."
Due to the community's isolation, it took three days to evacuate during the 2023 fire. And it wasn't easy.
"We had to ask people to leave their vehicles because we were running out of time," said Sewepagaham.
"We used canoes to get out. Anything we could get."
For some, it was their first time leaving the community. More than 90 per cent of people in Fox Lake speak Cree and some do not speak English, said Sewepagaham.
The fire destroyed more than 300 buildings in Fox Lake, most of which were homes. The community's main grocery store was also lost and the water treatment plant from the 1970s — which locals call Agnes — was heavily damaged.
Hundreds of P.E.I. parents can't find child-care spaces, especially for infants. The provincial government says expanding those spots remains a top priority — and it recognizes the concern.
An Alberta judge says a referendum proposal on Alberta separating from Canada goes against Charter and and Treaty rights, in a decision given less than 24 hours after the provincial government introduced legislation that would have ended the court proceeding.
The architect of Alberta's politician recall legislation says it was never meant to be used as a political weapon, but as an "ultimate tool of accountability" if a politician engages in illegal or unethical behaviour.
The Government of Saskatchewan has introduced its long-promised involuntary treatment legislation on the final day of the fall sitting.
The Law Society of Ontario has suspended the licence of Deepak Paradkar, one of seven Canadians arrested in connection with alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding’s cocaine smuggling ring.
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is getting rid of unlimited mental health benefits for staff, blaming ballooning costs and former administrators for implementing it without proper due diligence or oversight.
Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's TV and film studios and streaming division for $72 billion US, a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood's most prized and oldest assets to the streaming pioneer that has upended the media industry.
CBC Calgary kicks off its annual Make the Season Kind campaign this morning at Fratello Coffee Roasters.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.