This summer the smoke from wildfires in Ontario triggered complaints from our neighbours and threats of sanctions. When you go outside and experience the smoky air and have to quickly retreat to the safety of the indoors you are acutely aware that something is wrong. Our first reaction is, “Why?” Our initial question gets answered fairly quickly through the media.

A longer response we think about reveals deeper underlying thoughts, feelings, and prejudices we harbour. Whose fault is it for these fires? One of our Canadian Indigenous Ministries Committee members recounted recently that in Thunder Bay, ON, there is a sentiment that Indigenous people set these fires to escape from their communities in order to party there all summer. Needless to say this is a racist sentiment. Can you imagine evacuating to a community that harbors such prejudice against you?

World Renew told us they have received offers to help with the BC wildfires but in Ontario, when the smoke cleared from our skies, our Indigenous communities fell off the radar of concern. The problem with this is our Indigenous communities are not the source of the problem, but we suffer the immediate consequences. Forestry extraction in Canada has commodified our forests, and when combined with poor forest management and climate change, things have only gotten worse. Indigenous forest management practices could be used to prevent so much of this suffering (read “When the Forest Breaths” by Suzanne Simard).  

Another crisis in Canada is the lack of safe drinking water in Indigenous communities. Waking up each day to the lack of drinking water is an immediate crisis for Indigenous people. But for some communities these boil water advisories have been in place for decades. Can you imagine being without safe drinking water for years? As of July 30, 2026, Indigenous Services Canada reports: “39 active long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve in 37 communities.”

Careful reflection asks the questions: “What can be done about this? Who is affected? What are their needs? What can we do about it?” And Christians can ask, “What would Jesus do?” Indigenous Ministry in the CRCNA has been in conversation with World Renew and Diaconal Ministries Canada about how we can walk alongside Indigenous communities affected by the wildfire crisis and support the priorities they have identified. We have thought about short-term and long-term responses.

There are mental health needs with evacuees to address. The stress of being displaced requires mental health first aid. Living in the city is a cultural shock for Indigenous evacuees from remote and fly-in communities. Predators also exploit young girls, and drugs are common. It was like the wildfires created a new base of customers. These issues need treaty support from the government, the non-profit sector, and the church community. All Canadians are treaty people.

World Renew views disaster response as part of a broader disaster management cycle that includes preparedness, response, recovery, prevention, and mitigation. Within response and recovery, their work often moves from emergency relief to early recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, while continually strengthening community resilience for future crises. With floods you have a crisis and a recovery. Crisis is the flood or fire and its immediate aftermath. This is the work undertaken by recovery. In the U.S., deacons get involved in this and the next stage of recovery. The return stage is cleaning up from the damage. With devastating fires there is no return. Often there is nothing to return to. Rebuilding is needed here and this will take a much longer time. World Renew often supports communities through the longer-term recovery process, including rehabilitation, reconstruction, and resilience-building efforts that help communities prepare for future crises. 

Our Indigenous communities affected by wildfires and floods need the whole range of responses from emergency response and mental health care to long-term building and community restoration. Our Urban Indigenous Ministries in Edmonton, Regina, and Winnipeg do not have the capacity to meet the immediate needs of shelter for evacuees. They provide longer term healing work that meets community needs for safe spaces, trauma informed care, and sharing. The programs in these Urban Indigenous Ministries stretch the staff as it is.

The church has an opportunity to stand alongside Indigenous communities not only in moments of crisis but throughout the long journey of recovery, return, and rebuilding that follows. Our response must include compassionate care for those affected today, while also advocating for the systemic changes that will reduce the need for repeated evacuations in the future.

Short-term crisis response, mid-term return to community work, and long-term rebuilding are the comprehensive Indigenous community needs in flood and wildfire disasters. We in Indigenous Ministry are doing what we can but the need is great and more needs to be done. Your support is vital to our expanding “What would Jesus do?” responses. 

Wildfires and floods test more than our emergency response systems. They test our relationships. Will the CRC’s reconciliation promise and commitments become visible in practical acts of compassion, partnership, and long-term support? Your prayers, generosity, and advocacy are tangible ways of living out the question, “What would Jesus do?” — not only with our words, but with our lives.

Article by Adrian Jacobs with assistance and input from CIMC, UIM Directors, World Renew and Diaconal Ministries Canada