*UPDATE, Mon., June 10* Emergency planning coordinator Richard Vallée tells My Cochrane Now Dot Com that the situation in Pikangikum has improved so much, evacuees start returning home during the week. He expects those in Cochrane will be home by Saturday, June 15.
Cochrane is again extending a hand of welcome to a remote northern community in a time of need.
By the end of today, it should be the temporary home for 225 people from the remote First Nations community of Pikangikum, as they flee two forest fires nearby.
Cochrane emergency planning coordinator Richard Vallée says his town is the first to accept evacuees.
“We did receive a plane last night,” he tells My Cochrane Now Dot Com. “The wheels were on the ground at 11:55, so kind of a late night for us and everybody was tucked in by 12:30. But we’re expecting five flights today.”
Pikangikum is a fly-in settlement of about 3,800 people, 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay.
Vallée says Cochrane is used to accommodating flood victims. This is the first time for forest fires.
The operation is, however, no different.
“Same as before. We’re all excited to get other people, it’s different and our community’s always open for evacuees to come in,” Vallée comments.
Timmins is also taking in 160 evacuees.