As wildfire season approaches, remote First Nations prepare to fight from the ground up
CBC
As Calvin Charles sprays water up and down a tree trunk, the force from the hose is strong enough to make its target sway.
It's a clear, sunny day on the shores of Lac la Plonge in northern Saskatchewan, but in Charles's mind, that tree is on fire.
"I grew up on the trapline and I've been around trees my whole life," he said.
"When I see them burn, I don't like that. The aspect of saving nature is really heartwarming."
But it was saving homes and people that brought Charles and about two dozen others here for firefighting training put on by the Prince Albert Grand Council. Some are brand new to the craft while others, like Charles, have volunteered for years. After this training, he'll be able to work seasonally as a firefighter based in the north.
He first suited up after Stanley Mission, his own First Nation, was almost destroyed by a fire in 2015.
"After getting evacuated, I felt helpless," he said.
"Getting the training I needed to be able to put that fire out – I feel less helpless."
When it comes to remote wildfires, First Nations community members are often the first to feel the heat, smell the smoke and deal with the danger.
The federal government suggests 80 per cent of First Nations are in areas prone to wildfires, and many communities are preparing for what they worry could be a catastrophic season.
In Saskatchewan, there are different levels of firefighting training. Charles and the others won't fight fire from above, but they can help mop up sections doused by water bombers and work to control sections from the ground.
And in the north, you use what you can.
The group learns how to connect a small, cord-pull motor to a half-frozen lake for their hoses. They practice building fire breaks into the forest floor with pickaxes, since machines often can't get to their remote locations.
They've all had to travel for hours to get here, since there aren't enough trainers to get to each community in time.
