As disasters worsen, Indigenous peoples threatened by a ‘crisis communication gap’

By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. In April, after an out-of-control wildfire threatened the remote Xeni Gwet’in First Nation in “B.C.,” local governments issued evacuation alerts. The fire quickly spread to 250 hectares, before being extinguished a few days later, and the evacuation alert was rescinded. Although Xeni Gwet’in’s nearly 500 residents were relieved, the crisis was a reminder of what many Indigenous leaders say is governments’ inadequate emergency communications with Indigenous communit…