Leaders representing First Nations across Manitoba are calling for an overhaul of emergency management systems following the 2025 wildfire season, which forced more than 17,000 citizens from their homes. On April 23, 2026, the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs issued a joint demand for reform, arguing that First Nations must be treated as governments rather than simple service recipients during future emergencies.
The call for change comes after a 2025 season that saw many northern communities facing prolonged evacuations and infrastructure failures. Residents of St. Theresa Point First Nation were significantly impacted, having been evacuated twice during the summer of 2025. The first evacuation was triggered by wildfire smoke in June, followed by a mandatory order in July that also affected the nearby Garden Hill and Wasagamack First Nations.
Community leaders have pointed to the experience of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation as evidence of the current system’s limitations. After wildfires destroyed local transmission lines, the community endured a 128-day evacuation and was eventually forced to spend $8 million of its own funds to secure backup generators. During that extended displacement, 11 evacuees from that community passed away before they were able to return home.
The advocacy follows the provincial government’s release of its 2025 Wildfire Interim After Action Review on April 21, 2026. First Nations leaders immediately denounced the report, stating that it failed to address their specific concerns. They are now pushing for a new collaborative framework that includes reliable backup power, faster expense reimbursement, and culturally appropriate support for those forced to leave their homes.
