First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Partnership - FNWEP

🔥When emergencies force communities to evacuate, where people go and how they are supported matters deeply. Host communities play a vital role in ensuring evacuees feel safe, respected, and cared for. Here are key ways to strengthen that support:

1️⃣ Match communities thoughtfully
Whenever possible, host evacuees in places with similar cultural and social settings to help maintain connection, identity, and comfort.

2️⃣ Plan ahead
Communities need clear hosting plans that consider capacity, services, and cultural needs before disaster strikes.

3️⃣ Provide culturally sensitive care
Service providers should be trained to deliver care that respects traditions, values, and lived experiences.

4️⃣ Support all age groups
Children, youth, and Elders have unique needs. Recreation, cultural activities, and counseling can reduce trauma and help restore a sense of normalcy.

5️⃣ Ensure financial support
Access to funding allows families to purchase essentials, care for their children, and prepare for returning home.

6️⃣ Keep people connected
Free phone and internet access are critical so evacuees can stay in touch with loved ones and receive timely updates.

7️⃣ Collaborate with leadership
Working closely with Chiefs, councils, and community leaders ensures decisions are appropriate, respectful, and effective.

8️⃣ Prioritize clear communication
Information should be shared in ways that are timely, transparent, and culturally sensitive.

Thoughtful planning and culturally informed approaches can transform a difficult experience into one more manageable.

📚 Want to learn more?
Check out: “A qualitative study exploring barriers and facilitators of effective service delivery for Indigenous wildfire hazard evacuees during their stay in host communities” by Asfaw, Sandy Lake First Nation, McGee, & Christianson. 🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420919304443