O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation faces power outage crisis for over a month

A northern Manitoba community has now been without hydro for over a month – after wildfires destroyed their access to the power grid.

The residents of O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation are living off individual generators and creativity.

“We have no clue when our power’s going to be restored,” said Chief Shirley Ducharme of O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation. “We’re surviving but we’re just adapting and trying to innovate ways that we can at least live (with) a little comfort.”

Chief Ducharme says they have no heat as colder temperatures move in.

“We’re just trying to get some heaters in from E.M.O. so that we can at least plug in heaters at night,” said Chief Ducharme.

Locals are cooking with propane and sharing tools to wash their clothes.

“There’s some spinner washers that are going around from house to house because J.P., Jordan’s Principal had spinner washers and those are the ones that are going every two days to a household so they can do laundry, but it’s all done in cold water because we don’t have the hot water facilities,” said Chief Ducharme.

Despite the conditions, Chief Ducharme says it’s better than a full evacuation. About half the population, over 400 people, remain in the northern community after priority one and two families travelled to Winnipeg. She says some of them are still in congregate shelters and facing challenges there.  

 “We are finding that these families, they see so much happening and we don’t feel it’s safe for them with the drinking that’s going on at these sites,” said Chief Ducharme. “And with central area in the city, we’re kind of afraid for our kids, disappearing and that.”

She is hoping for three things: firefighters to put out hotspots so hydro can return to the area, better fire protectant for hydro poles, and larger generators for her community.

“With this climate change, it’s going to be ongoing still, so they’ve got to have better preparedness,” said Chief Ducharme.

Manitoba Hydro told CityNews in a statement:

“South Indian Lake/OPCN is without power due to wildfire damage.

Approximately 60 poles are damaged in that area, and there is damage in other areas to transmission lines that supply the community.”

A spokesperson for the organization said they can’t comment on hotspots as Manitoba Wildfire Service is the expert in that field. They said they take direction from the province on what areas are safe for their crews to access to begin restoration. 

The statement continued: “Currently our crews are not able to access and start work in some of areas on the line feeding the community. As a result, we can’t estimate yet when power will be restored.”

In an email to CityNews, the province said they’re responding to fires all over the province and resources are deployed as needed and available. 

In the meantime, Chief Ducharme is hoping hydro will be restored before the school year starts because their school does not have a generator.