A stock photograph of firefighters responding to a house fire. (File photo/paNOW Staff) 

By Nicole Reis

Waterhen Lake First Nation House Fire

Waterhen Lake First Nation house fire epidemic kept wrapped within community

Feb 6, 2020 | 5:52 PM

A statement issued to Waterhen Lake residents last month about suspected arson has the band classifying the burning of four houses as an epidemic to a community facing a housing shortage.

Blaine Fiddler, band councillor and housing portfolio manager with Waterhen Lake First Nation said he’s still waiting for an investigation from the Waterhen Lake RCMP.

“There hasn’t been an outcome,” he said. “There’s nothing to investigate and the snow around the houses has all melted so there would be no tracks.”

Fiddler estimated the loss of four homes over the last three years has resulted in a damages of approximately $500,000 for the community.

“It’s a scary situation for the community, they don’t feel safe. They’re concerned for their assets as well and they don’t know if its arson, some of them could be electrical,” Fiddler said.

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Fiddler said nothing has changed since the release of the statement and the band is looking at funding grants for housing, fire safety courses and considering implementing a fire department on the First Nation.

Fiddler added the four band houses burned were not insured.

“We don’t insure band homes because the amount of funding we get from Indigenous Services Canada would exceed the insurance amount,” he said. “The amount of funding we get for capital is the same amount of funding we received in the ’80s.”

(Waterhen Lake Housing/Facebook)

According to Fiddler, one of the burned properties was in the midst of a renovation where electric heat was used to heat the home.

Fiddler added the next housing development is slated for summer of 2021 pending CMHC funding approval.

“We are building another house through construction 101 at the school and that will be allocated to the people who lost their house in the fire,” Fiddler said. “If anybody knows anything regarding fires, call Waterhen Lake RCMP.”

Meadow Lake Urban Native Housing Manager Lauri Bell said she was unaware of the house fire issue.

“We don’t have emergency housing though anyone interested in applying for a unit needs to come in and fill out an application which is point rated,” Bell said. “No one’s called us to report the loss.”

Waterhen Lake Band Chief Carol Bernard was contacted for comment but she did not immediately return calls.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722