Peguis First Nation declares state of emergency

The Peguis First Nation declared a state of emergency as leadership said flooding is now a certainty.

In a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon, Chief Stan Bird said that information received this morning indicates flood waters will spill over the banks of the Fisher River in the coming days.

“Evacuations of our residents will be required,” he said in the video update. “Information provided this morning is that a flood similar to 2022 could be expected.”

He said while it’s uncertain when the community will be overcome by the rising water, “flooding will be extensive,” and the severity will be determined by temperatures and precipitation in the coming week.

“The important thing is that we must be prepared,” he said. “It is absolutely essential that homeowners allow the crews to complete the protective work required.” Chief Bird says if flood protection is denied now, there’s a “strong likelihood” they will not return.

“It is important that you do not panic and overwhelm the flood centre with calls,” he said. “An evacuation plan has been developed and we are in the final stages of implementing that plan.”

The federal government deployed Team Rubicon to Peguis, about 180 kilometres north of Winnipeg, last week and on Wednesday, the Canadian Red Cross said it would be deploying technicians and equipment to the community.

On Saturday, band leadership met to develop a plan to ensure community members are looked after.

Chief Bird said they’re working to make the evacuation as orderly and coordinated as possible and that the community must avoid “chaos and pandemonium.”

He thanked and acknowledged everyone who has contributed to the effort, including people from across the community and from outside of Peguis who have come to help.

“Conditions have been far from favourable. This is important because we had grandmothers and grandfathers, mooshums and kookums, that braved the cold and the long hours to ensure our community — your community — is protected,” he said in the Facebook update.

The Free Press has reached out to the province for comment on the state of emergency.

During a major flood in the community in 2022, approximately 2,000 residents were forced out and hundreds of homes were damaged.