New wildfire management model aims to empower First Nations in Northern Ontario

By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com GULL BAY — A new wildfire management model in Northern Ontario aims to put First Nations communities in a position to train and support each other, but facilitators of the program say experienced firefighters will be needed to lead the work until the model can become fully Indigenous-led. “The goal of the model is to provide First Nations with an ability to grow their knowledge in wildfires so that if an emergency comes, they’re better trained than not trained at all, but not to make them instant firefighters,” Simón Bermudez said.