Waskaganish, Québec, July 11, 2023 – The Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA) and Wiinipaakw Tours are deeply saddened to share that the Creetopia base camp was among the sites destroyed by forest fires in Northern Quebec. This news was confirmed by public safety yesterday. The fire that overtook Creetopia can be identified on the NASA database as number 606, one of several forest fires which have impacted the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee this summer.
Creetopia is one of many losses our neighbours and communities have experienced due to recent forest fires. The destruction of family camps, damage to ancestral hunting grounds, and unsettling displacements and evacuations have deeply impacted the Cree Nation. It is impossible to overstate the hard work, memories, expenses, and dreams for future generations behind each site lost to the fires, and our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected.
We are saddened that we will not be able to unveil Creetopia as planned, but we would still like to recognize the monumental effort that went into building this site. Many hours of work and a great deal of funding went into organizing, constructing, and preparing Creetopia for guests. We are grateful to every person who contributed to this project, and would like to thank the workers, funders, and partners who believed in our vision for Creetopia and did so much to make it a reality. This project has shown us the power of community and collaboration, and it is our hope that we can continue to come together and support one another during this difficult time.
A heartfelt thank you also goes out to the public safety and emergency response teams for their communication with us and their continued work during this time, as well as the COTA and Wiinipaakw staff and supporters that are working to respond to the present situation. At this time, COTA and Wiinipaakw Tours do not have further information on the fires or the Creetopia project. We appreciate everyone’s patience and kindness as we work to assess the situation and determine next steps.
CONTACT
Robin McGinley, Executive Director
Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association