Metis firefighter seriously injured as wildland fires rage through the province

By Shari Narine  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter An Indigenous wildland firefighter is in the University of Alberta Hospital with serious injuries. Frankie Payou was injured on Sunday after a burned tree he was cutting with a chainsaw fell on him. He was involved with firefighting in his home community of East Prairie Metis Settlement in northern Alberta. According to updated information posted May 15 by Jessica Supernault for a GoFundMe campaign, Payou was airlifted to the Edmonton hospital. He remains in a coma in the ICU with bleeding in his brain, broken ribs, and liver and kidney damage. Supernault, who is Payou’s girlfriend’s cousin, initially started the GoFundMe because the family, who has three children with a fourth on the way, had lost their home on the settlement. About 40…

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