Hundreds of Indigenous people will soon be able to return to the communities they were forced from by wildfires in northern Alberta, their leaders say.
The leaders of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, and Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation announced Sunday evening a phased re-entry plan would start Monday with essential workers going home first.
The public and land users will follow on Thursday, then vulnerable residents on Saturday. According to the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, the total number of evacuees from the area is 941.
A 60,500-hectare wildfire north of the communities is now classified by the province as being held, with the southern flank 100 per cent controlled.
"Controlled means that the entire south line has been extinguished up to a 100 metres into the fire," Alberta Wildfire Information Officer Emily Smith said.
"Once that happens, then Alberta Wildfire is confident that the wildfire no longer poses a threat to Fort Chipewyan, Allison Bay or the Fort Chipewyan airport."
The leaders cheered as they gave a live update via social media.
In his own post, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam promised, "We will be going home soon."
"Everyone that's going home to Fort Chip will have a home to go home to. Not one structure was burned down whatsoever," he told CTV News Edmonton later on Monday.
Evacuations of the Treaty 8 nations began May 30.
A townhall providing more details will be held for residents Tuesday evening.
WEATHER HELPING FIREFIGHT
Steady rain has helped some 2,900 firefighting personnel tackle the 73 wildfires still burning in the province.
"They're able to get in and take advantage of the low fire activity to put out hot spots and get further and further into the fire perimeter," Josee St-Onge of Alberta Wildfire said about the Fort Chipewyan fire on Sunday. "It's good news and it means that we're getting closer and closer to controlling that wildfire."
According to the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard, 19 wildfires were out of control on Sunday.
"This type of weather is very welcome in the province, it gives us a chance to really make some progress, do some long-term planning," St-Onge said. "Overall, the wildfire situation in most parts of the province has stabilized."
LITTLE RED RIVER RE-ENTRY
Details about a re-entry plan for other evacuated Indigenous communities along the Peace River will be announced this week.
Little Red River Cree Nation was evacuated on May 4 as a wildfire encroached on one of its communities, Fox Lake. Since then, hundreds of homes and other buildings have been destroyed.
Chief Conroy Sewepagaham in a Sunday update said "a lot of rain" had fallen in the region over the weekend.
He promised a meeting would be held this week to discuss "the steps we all need to take before we head back home."
"We've already selected a date, so in those meetings we'll announce it in person and what's needed. Good news for all of us, but there's still a lot of work to do," Sewepagaham told his communities.
"I know as a nation, as we come together, we can rebuild Fox Lake. Not the way it was, but the way it should be. So we'll be making sure all that – everything we've always needed for Fox Lake – is there."
LONG-TERM FORECAST
While the weather is encouraging, St-Onge said it's too soon to tell just how much it will help.
"We'll take all the rain we can get most certainly, but it's a bit too soon to see how it's going to impact the rest of the season," she added. "Wildfire season is full of ups and downs depending on the weather.
"So, right now we are definitely grateful for the rain. . . but it only takes a short period of hot, dry and windy conditions to bring the fire danger back up."
The uncertainty has one displaced resident concerned about going home.
Marie Marten has been living in Fort McMurray since the Allison Bay reserve on Mikisew Cree First Nation was evacuated.
She said it's been difficult, but she's finally adjusting to life away from home. She's worried about returning and having to leave again.
"When Edson got evacuated the second time, it pushed my anxiety a little bit more," Marten said on Sunday. "What if that's going to happen to us when we return home?"
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There have been some positives, she added, and she's taken the time away to reconnect with family and friends.
When everyone does head home, she hopes it's a chance for the wider community to reconnect.
"I'm just hoping with this re-entry that everybody goes home and picks up and continues on and takes care of one another," she added. "I'm really [hoping] that this will start our healing for the whole community."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti and Nicole Lampa
