With files from: Bob McIntyre
Kapuskasing is again extending a hand of welcome to a remote northern community in a time of need.
By the end of today, Kapuskasing should be the temporary home for 200 people from the remote First Nations community of Pikangikum, as they flee two forest fires nearby.
In the city of Timmins 160 people are expected to land today and emergency planning coordinator Tom Laughren notes that this group is smaller than the 950 from Kashechewan, who went home just last week.
“These 160 will be at the Ramada Inn,” he outlines. “That’s where we have the rooms and if there’s other contingencies or needs that need to be met on this, well then obviously we’ll look at other options.”
Hotel rooms are in short supply because of next week’s Canadian Mining Expo.
“We just recently completed from Kashechewan the 950 people which we believe went very well,” Laughren says, “and again, this will be happening and we know the Timmins community is always open to these type of situations and helping the neighbours.”
Cochrane is also taking in 225 evacuees.
Kapuskasing general manager of protective services Pat Kennedy said a meeting was called for 1:00pm today to confirm further details.
At this time, he was only able to confirm that different communities will be hosting evacuees from the Pikangikum First Nation, and it would be expected Kapuskasing will take 200 this evening, and should be expecting further evacuees to come into the area over the weekend.
