Wasagamack resident Saul Harper, has mostly elected to stay in his community through the summer months, when cooking is often done outdoors, and people can enjoy the hot weather, but this summer, when wildfires started closing in on the community, he, along with his family was evacuated to the Wasagamack Anisininew Wellness and Prevention office (WAWP), on Sherbrook Street.

The newly opened office location suddenly became host to some of the almost 18,000 people that had to be evacuated from northern Manitoba wildfires. “At first they were getting everything organized,” says Harper, making sure to accomodate elders and children.

“I was impacted by the fires, I have COPD,” he told The Leaf, explaining that the smoke from the fires affected his lungs severely, and he had to bring his two younger children with him to the city.

He was able to return, as many did after several weeks in Winnipeg when the first round of fires died down in July, but then had to turn around to fly back again when a new round of fires began burning at the end of August. The community only has a winter access road for about three months out of the year, and Harper had to take a boat ride to a neighbouring community to get to their airport to fly out.

“They really did a good job, they gave us a lot of support,” he said of WAWP, that provided activities for the children, and special accommodation for elders with special health needs for almost three weeks.
Dawn Milner, director of operations, said office personel were guided by the Red Cross, and were able to accomodate people in a section of the building that is scheduled for renovation. “It was a big 360 and a huge learning curve as to what we needed to get in order,” she explained, including how to find 50 beds and and frames and bedding within the day. “It was a big adaptation.”

Harper was hired as a security guard for the temporary situation, and he and his kids have “enjoyed helping the elders out,” and have felt lucky that people from the community have been able to stay together during the emergency situation.

He also told The Leaf that bears have been coming into the community since the fires started.
Harper said he has felt gratitude for the generosity of people in Winnipeg, who have helped out with donations of clothing and shoes. Milne said the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) “came knocking on our door to say hey, we’re here to help.”

Due the the extreme situation of recuring fires, said Harper, (who has since found a new residence) he is not sure if he will be able to return quickly to Wasagamack because the costs of the flights are so high, and the possibility of re-experiencing medical distress. He tries to keep good humour to get through the situation. “But my son always wants to go home,” he says.