Heat, wildfire smoke combine to create dangerous conditions across southwestern Ontario
- Thread starter TheShadow
- Start date
I am even closer than Fleetwood . Mt. Saint Helen’s advertised her forthcoming eruption . My plan is to camp out on Mt . Seymour and watch the light show .
Definitely the max blast. Garibaldi is giving warnings too. St Helen's is remote compared to Baker or Garibaldi.
garibaldi active volcano +9 Mount Garibaldi is a potentially active volcano in southwestern British Columbia, located just 70 kilometers north of Vancouver and 20 kilometers southeast of Squamish. While not currently erupting, it is classified as high-risk and poses a threat to local communities.
Key Facts About Mount Garibaldi
Location: It sits in the rugged Coast Mountains of British Columbia, within Garibaldi Provincial Park.Type: It is a stratovolcano—a tall, steep, and cone-shaped volcano made of alternating layers of hardened ash, lava, and rocks.Recent History: Its last major eruptive period happened about 9,300 years ago during the last ice age.
Because of its recent activity, scientists classify it as "potentially active" rather than completely dormant.
Why Is It There?
Mount Garibaldi is part of the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, which is the Canadian portion of the famous Pacific Ring of Fire. This is an area where tectonic plates (massive puzzle pieces of the Earth's crust) are colliding. Specifically, the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate is sliding beneath the North American plate (a process called subduction). As the oceanic plate goes deeper, it gets very hot, melting rock into magma. This magma rises to the surface to create volcanoes.
Volcanic Threat
Even though an eruption is rare, scientists monitor the area because Garibaldi poses a significant threat to nearby towns like Squamish and Whistler. If it were to erupt, it could cause large mudslides, release dangerous ash, and even cause flooding if melted snow and ice mix with volcanic debris.
Why First Nations want an inquiry into Ontario’s wildfire response
Indigenous leaders say Ontario failed to provide adequate warning, communication, evacuation support
Author of the article:Alan S. Hale
Published Jul 23, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 3 minute read
Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference to provide an update on the evacuations and forest fires at the Emergency Management HQ in Toronto on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Peter Power/Postmedia Network)
Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference to provide an update on the evacuations and forest fires at the Emergency Management HQ in Toronto on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Peter Power/Postmedia Network)
TORONTO – Indigenous leaders and the Ontario NDP are calling for a public inquiry into Ontario’s response to the wildfires once they are over. First Nation leaders are furious over what they see as a lack of assistance and communication from the province, which the Ford government denies.
What’s going on? Here’s a look:
WHY ARE FIRST NATIONS UPSET?
Many Indigenous communities have been forced to evacuate because of the fires, often with little warning or assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which is responsible for monitoring forest fires.
A particularly sore point is the evacuation of Namaygoosisagagun (Collins) First Nation on July 13, when community members were forced to flee their reserve by boat after a wildfire reached the community with no warning from MNR.
“There is nothing left but ashes,” said Chief Helen Paavola at a news conference on Tuesday.
“My community was left to evacuate without notice or support . . . We do not understand how MNR failed to protect our community.”
Whitewater Lake First Nation said they spotted the fire that ravaged their community a week before they got a last-minute call to evacuate on July 15.
“If we had been aware of the severity of the fire at that time, we would have properly (prepared) or tried to salvage something,” said Chief Pauline Drake.
Even after evacuation, First Nations say the province has not been communicating with their leaders about where their people will be going, what services or housing will be there for them when they get there.
“The lack of communication and evacuation support should horrify all Canadians,” said Gull Bay First Nation Chief Wilfred King.
WHAT IS THE PROVINCE SAYING?
Government spokesperson Julia Facca said the province is “responding to a very fluid and pressing emergency in Northwestern Ontario” that involves ongoing communication with the federal government, emergency management partners and First Nation leadership.
“Any community can request assistance from the province to evacuate,” she said, or choose to evacuate on its own “in circumstances where the fire is moving too quickly.”
Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris Jr. said last week the fire that destroyed Collins First Nation started so close to the community there wasn’t “a lot of lead time to get crews over there from the other fires they were fighting.”
Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, has suggested Ontario is already exceeding its responsibility to help First Nations.
“We moved close to 2,000 First Nations (members) onto planes, we have provided them with a hotel, provided them with food, and any other expenses,” Ford said Tuesday.
“On reserve, the feds have responsibility to take care of First Nations, but we are taking care of them. We are doing everything we possibly can.”
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict pushed back, saying that while reserves are under federal jurisdiction, the province is responsible for providing emergency assistance.
“The federal government only pays the bill,” Benedict said.
WHY HOLD A PUBLIC INQUIRY?
The chiefs say a public inquiry is needed to determine what happened during this fire season and make recommendations to ensure any mistakes are not repeated.
“The review should examine operational decision making, emergency coordination, communications with First Nations, evacuation planning and execution, resource allocation, and overall provincial preparedness,” King said.
Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles told reporters Thursday she plans to pressure the government at Queen’s Park to call an inquiry once the fires are under control.
“The moment (when) the government thinks it can close the book and move on, we will need to hold a public inquiry to hear from frontline workers,” she said.
HOW LIKELY IS AN INQUIRY?
At this point, not very.
Facca said the province’s plan is for MNR to conduct an “after-action review.”
The ministry conducts one after every wildfire season, and the findings are used to prepare for the next year.
Stiles said that’s not good enough.
“Those reviews have not resulted in better preparedness,” she said.
ahale@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Indigenous leaders say Ontario failed to provide adequate warning, communication, evacuation support
Author of the article:Alan S. Hale
Published Jul 23, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 3 minute read
Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference to provide an update on the evacuations and forest fires at the Emergency Management HQ in Toronto on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Peter Power/Postmedia Network)
Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference to provide an update on the evacuations and forest fires at the Emergency Management HQ in Toronto on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Peter Power/Postmedia Network)
TORONTO – Indigenous leaders and the Ontario NDP are calling for a public inquiry into Ontario’s response to the wildfires once they are over. First Nation leaders are furious over what they see as a lack of assistance and communication from the province, which the Ford government denies.
What’s going on? Here’s a look:
WHY ARE FIRST NATIONS UPSET?
Many Indigenous communities have been forced to evacuate because of the fires, often with little warning or assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which is responsible for monitoring forest fires.
A particularly sore point is the evacuation of Namaygoosisagagun (Collins) First Nation on July 13, when community members were forced to flee their reserve by boat after a wildfire reached the community with no warning from MNR.
“There is nothing left but ashes,” said Chief Helen Paavola at a news conference on Tuesday.
“My community was left to evacuate without notice or support . . . We do not understand how MNR failed to protect our community.”
Whitewater Lake First Nation said they spotted the fire that ravaged their community a week before they got a last-minute call to evacuate on July 15.
“If we had been aware of the severity of the fire at that time, we would have properly (prepared) or tried to salvage something,” said Chief Pauline Drake.
Even after evacuation, First Nations say the province has not been communicating with their leaders about where their people will be going, what services or housing will be there for them when they get there.
“The lack of communication and evacuation support should horrify all Canadians,” said Gull Bay First Nation Chief Wilfred King.
WHAT IS THE PROVINCE SAYING?
Government spokesperson Julia Facca said the province is “responding to a very fluid and pressing emergency in Northwestern Ontario” that involves ongoing communication with the federal government, emergency management partners and First Nation leadership.
“Any community can request assistance from the province to evacuate,” she said, or choose to evacuate on its own “in circumstances where the fire is moving too quickly.”
Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris Jr. said last week the fire that destroyed Collins First Nation started so close to the community there wasn’t “a lot of lead time to get crews over there from the other fires they were fighting.”
Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, has suggested Ontario is already exceeding its responsibility to help First Nations.
“We moved close to 2,000 First Nations (members) onto planes, we have provided them with a hotel, provided them with food, and any other expenses,” Ford said Tuesday.
“On reserve, the feds have responsibility to take care of First Nations, but we are taking care of them. We are doing everything we possibly can.”
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict pushed back, saying that while reserves are under federal jurisdiction, the province is responsible for providing emergency assistance.
“The federal government only pays the bill,” Benedict said.
WHY HOLD A PUBLIC INQUIRY?
The chiefs say a public inquiry is needed to determine what happened during this fire season and make recommendations to ensure any mistakes are not repeated.
“The review should examine operational decision making, emergency coordination, communications with First Nations, evacuation planning and execution, resource allocation, and overall provincial preparedness,” King said.
Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles told reporters Thursday she plans to pressure the government at Queen’s Park to call an inquiry once the fires are under control.
“The moment (when) the government thinks it can close the book and move on, we will need to hold a public inquiry to hear from frontline workers,” she said.
HOW LIKELY IS AN INQUIRY?
At this point, not very.
Facca said the province’s plan is for MNR to conduct an “after-action review.”
The ministry conducts one after every wildfire season, and the findings are used to prepare for the next year.
Stiles said that’s not good enough.
“Those reviews have not resulted in better preparedness,” she said.
ahale@postmedia.com
Why First Nations want an inquiry into Ontario’s wildfire response
Indigenous leaders say Ontario failed to provide adequate warning, communication and evacuation support.