First Nations Say They’re Not Wildfire Evacuees, But Climate Refugees
Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by wildfire evacuations and thousands of these evacuees have been displaced for the long term, like Michell and his family.
Indigenous peoples make up five per cent of Canada’s population but experience 42 per cent of wildfire evacuation events, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
This year, 25,000 people from 79 First Nations have had to leave home because of wildfires, Indigenous Services Canada told The Breach by email.
In the past decade, 70,824 First Nations people have been evacuated from their communities because of wildfires, the department’s data shows.