Sandy Lake First Nation Shows Courage during Crisis

People across Canada are on edge as climate change threatens to make 2025 the second-worst forest fire season on record. In northwestern Ontario, fires are endangering humans, wildlife, and homes, as well as destroying forests.

When the Red Lake 12 forest fire began spreading in early June, the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre contacted Lakehead about hosting evacuees on its Thunder Bay campus. Photo: Pexels/Alex P

"Lakehead has an important role to play in the regional community as a good neighbour," says Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Denise Baxter. "Any time a forest fire breaks out, there is a high risk to Indigenous communities because many of them are in remote areas far from services."

The Sandy Lake First Nation, almost 600 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, is one of these communities. The out-of-control Red Lake 12 fire has made it necessary for them to evacuate and find shelter elsewhere. Last week, Lakehead began providing temporary lodging for Sandy Lake residents—usually for 24 to 48 hours—until they can be flown to host cities in other parts of the province, where they will stay until it's safe to return to their community.

"Lakehead is happy to help Sandy Lake residents during this difficult time," says Residence Services Director Shannon Foster. Since early June, more than 700 members of the Sandy Lake First Nation had been hosted on campus.

Lakehead's residence, operations, catering, conference, and security services have been working together to make the evacuees comfortable and their time in Thunder Bay less stressful.

Children evacuated from Sandy Lake express their artistic side during a painting session at Lakehead. "Often, the communities most negatively affected by climate change around the world are Indigenous communities," Vice-Provost Denise Baxter says.

"School is being disrupted, their lives are being disrupted, and it's hard on elders with respiratory conditions," Vice-Provost Baxter says. "Sandy Lake residents are uncertain because they don't know what they'll return to once the wildfire has been extinguished. That's why it's important to pitch in—it's our responsibility as a fellow community member."

One of the ways that Lakehead has been helping is by arranging sports, arts, and cultural activities. Jared Visitor, a Lakehead psychology and education student, recently assisted with an arts session for Sandy Lake residents.

Jared is already familiar with Sandy Lake because he works for Lakehead's Niijii Indigenous Mentorship Program.

Niijii offers science and cultural programming to northwestern Ontario Indigenous high school students. It also matches these students with Lakehead student mentors to encourage them to consider postsecondary education.

"Through Niijii, we get to see all the amazing things that youth in places like Cat Lake, Kasibonika, and Sandy Lake are doing," Jared says.

He came away from the Sandy Lake arts session on campus feeling inspired.

"I loved the storytelling that happened while the kids were creating their artworks because I believe that storytelling is one of the most important things we can do for our youth. When you tell your story, you begin to understand yourself and others begin to understand you.

And that's what happened at Lakehead's Bartley residence. The kids started pouring out their stories in paintings and drawings and talking to me about their stories—their school, their dreams, their community.

Their mothers came and painted with them, which was a beautiful thing to be part of. Their fathers and uncles were there, too. They made sure that the kids weren't getting paint on their clothes and that they were safe."

Jared Visitor completed his psychology degree this spring and will begin an education degree at Lakehead in the fall. He plans to become a primary/junior teacher. Jared says that "it's important that we tell all of our stories—the good and the bad—it makes us stronger."

The Lakehead University community is holding the Sandy Lake First Nation in our hearts. We hope that they will soon be able to return to their community and begin the healing process.