People from First Nations 10 times more likely to die in a fire, says Indigenous Fire Marshal – CBC

Feb 02, 2023

On Jan. 28, a 10-year-old girl from a remote Cree community died in a house fire

People in First Nations are 10 times more likely to die in a fire than people from other communities in Canada, according to the Indigenous Fire Marshal Service.

On Saturday, Jan. 28, a 10-year-old girl from the remote Cree community of Peawanuck, Ont. died in a house fire. The incident has renewed calls for a national fire protection strategy to prevent fatal fires in the future.

In an email to CBC News, Indigenous Services Canada said it is working with the Assembly of First Nations to finalize such a strategy.

Its goal would be to “better inform program and policy decision-making and guide federal investments to promote fire protection on reserves and to reduce the risk of fire-related deaths and injuries, as well as infrastructure losses.”

Peawanuck resident Sam Hunter said the fly-in community, located near the Hudson Bay coast, has ordered a fire truck to service its 250 residents.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/indigenous-fire-safety-1.6733751