By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. In April, after an out-of-control wildfire threatened the remote Xeni Gwet\u2019in First Nation in \u201cB.C.,\u201d local governments issued evacuation alerts. The fire quickly spread to 250 hectares, before being extinguished a few days later, and the evacuation alert was rescinded. Although Xeni Gwet\u2019in\u2019s nearly 500 residents were relieved, the crisis was a reminder of what many Indigenous leaders say is governments\u2019 inadequate emergency communications with Indigenous communities. Authorities do not provide alerts in the T\u015dilhqot\u2019in language, the only one spoken by many Elders in Xeni Gwet\u2019in, and the mother tongue of nearly 650 people in the larger T\u015dilhqot\u2019in Nation. This adds an additional layer of difficulty during disasters because many families look toward… <\/p>\n
By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. In April, after an out-of-control wildfire threatened the remote Xeni Gwet\u2019in First Nation in \u201cB.C.,\u201d local governments issued evacuation alerts. The fire quickly spread to 250 hectares, before being extinguished a few days later, and the evacuation alert was rescinded. Although Xeni Gwet\u2019in\u2019s nearly 500 residents were relieved, the crisis was a reminder of what many Indigenous leaders say is governments\u2019 inadequate emergency communications with Indigenous communities. Authorities do not provide alerts in the T\u015dilhqot\u2019in language, the only one spoken by many Elders in Xeni Gwet\u2019in, and the mother tongue of nearly 650 people in the larger T\u015dilhqot\u2019in Nation. This adds an additional layer of difficulty during disasters because many families look toward... <\/p>\n