First Nation leaders call for public inquiry into Ontario wildfire response

A public inquiry must be held into Ontario’s wildfire response, First Nations leaders said Tuesday, accusing the province of failing to offer timely evacuation support to communities that had to fend for themselves. 

An inquiry would investigate a number of concerns, such as evacuation planning, emergency co-ordination with First Nations and the province’s overall preparedness, said the chief of Gull Bay First Nation.  

Chief Wilfred King said the lack of communication and evacuation support should “horrify all Canadians.” 

“How could this happen? More importantly, how do we make sure this never happens again? That’s what they must answer,” said King, flanked by several leaders of other evacuated communities at a news conference in Thunder Bay. 

Record-breaking wildfires burning across northern Ontario have prompted evacuations in at least 12 First Nations and forced more than 1,800 people to flee their homes, the province has said. Widespread destruction has been reported in several First Nations, including Whitewater Lake and Namaygoosisagagun.

Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday his government did “everything we possibly can” to respond to the wildfires. Some of the fires spread so fast they were only spotted once they were dangerously close to First Nations, the government has said. 

Asked if he agreed with First Nations leaders who said the province should have done more to prepare, Ford said, “I totally disagree.” 

The premier said the province has had “constant communication” with First Nations communities, helping them evacuate and find shelter in hotels.

King accused Ford of lying and cast Tuesday’s news conference as an attempt to rebut the premier’s narrative. 

Several leaders who spoke Tuesday said official evacuation orders came late or not at all, forcing residents to flee without government support. Many spoke of how communities lack the firefighting resources of municipalities despite their position in high-risk fire areas. 

Dramatic photos and videos last week showed Namaygoosisagagun residents escaping by boats as a huge wall of smoke and flames rose behind them. The community is also known as Collins First Nation.

“My members barely escaped with the clothes on their backs. My community was left to evacuate without notice and support,” said Chief Helen Paavola. 

The chief of Whitesand First Nation suggested the Ministry of Natural Resources took too long to warn residents and issue an evacuation order. The community organized its own transport and shelter, said chief Lawrence Wanakamik. 

“If the order came later, our community, our membership wouldn’t be here, most of them anyways,” he said. 

Wanakamik suggested communities were left to transport, house and feed evacuees while the provincial and federal governments stalled over jurisdictional questions. 

“This is not emergency management. It is politics,” he said. 

Along with a public inquiry, leaders called for structural reform for how Ontario co-ordinates its wildfire response. They said certain responsibilities under the Ministry of Natural Resources should instead be transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness. 

They also called for the removal of two high-ranking natural resources officials. 

“The concern is not with the employees who continue to work under extremely difficult conditions but with senior leadership responsible for policy planning, oversight and decision-making,” said King, the Gull Bay chief.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026. 

Note to readers:This is a corrected story. A previous version erroneously stated that Whitesand First Nation also reported widespread destruction.