@globeandmail: Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, has been "completely destroyed" by a wildfire in northern Ontario, Chief Helen Paavola said in a statement Thursday. This aerial footage, shot on Wednesday by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and supplied by Paavola, shows the fire's destruction in the small, remote community about 210 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. Residents fled the community, which is only accessible by air or water, by 12- and 14-foot boats as wildfire tore through the area on Monday, according to a statement read at the Assembly of First Nations' annual general meeting on Thursday. “My community has been completely destroyed,” Chief Helen Paavola said in the statement. “We are devastated and have been left to fend for ourselves. The federal and provincial governments have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to our cries.” AFN chiefs harshly criticized both the federal and provincial governments for their wildfire response, saying residents of Namaygoosisagagun received no government support as they escaped. Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the dire wildfire situation across the country and affirmed federal help on Thursday. Ontario has asked the federal government for help, including potential military support, to get all 15 communities being evacuated or on alert to safety. In a statement Thursday, Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski confirmed that Ottawa received the province’s request for air evacuation support “late last night.” She said the request is “precautionary” and that she is in close contact with Dunlop to ensure that federal resources are rapidly mobilized to assist specific needs as the province continues to lead the wildfire response on the ground. #Wildfire #Ontario #canada

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Thursday 16 July 2026 23:26:00 GMT