The remains of a house destroyed by wildfire in East Prairie Metis Settlement, Alta. on Friday, May 5, 2023.
An Indigenous community in northern Alberta is suing the provincial government over its handling of a major wildfire three years ago, alleging inadequate protection that left homes and land destroyed.
The East Prairie Métis Settlement (EPMS), located about 165 kilometres east of Grande Prairie, claims the initial firefighting response and communication were insufficient and that non-Métis lands were prioritized.
The lawsuit, filed April 27, has not been tested in court, and no statement of defence has been filed.
The 2023 Grizzly Complex Wildfire burned out of control from early May until late June, scorching more than 180,000 hectares in the Slave Lake Forest Area.
Roughly 90 per cent of EPMS land burned, destroying 54 homes and outbuildings along with traditional medicine-gathering, hunting and trapping sites.
The lawsuit states the Slave Lake Forest Area faced an “extreme” fire danger rating heading into May and alleges the province lacked enough firefighters and resources. Community members reported seeing smoke south of the settlement as early as May 1, yet Alberta’s Wildfire Management Branch did not identify the fires until days later. Only one initial attack crew was sent, the claim says, and airtankers and ground resources were frequently moved—sometimes prematurely or to areas such as Banana Belt—while the settlement fire intensified.
Residents were evacuated on the morning of May 5 with just one hour’s notice after earlier assurances not to worry.
Court documents note that with only one road out of the settlement, the late warning “seriously jeopardized the safety of members.”
Communication problems with land maps, radios and cellphones were compounded by a local election underway at the time.
Beyond the homes, more than 30,000 hectares of land and commercial timber were lost, representing over $19 million in timber revenue and an estimated $12 million in carbon offset credits.
East Prairie Métis Settlement is also seeking damages for personal effects and traditional areas.
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