Previous research into fire fatalities found those at greatest risk to be children and older adults. This review found that the age-specific mortality rate for residential fire fatalities in children (under the age of 10) is 86 times greater in First Nations communities compared to non-First Nations communities in Ontario. This review found that First Nations children under the age of 5 had the highest number of deaths.

Considering when the fatal fires occurred, 70% of fire fatalities in First Nations communities occurred in colder months and 70% occurred overnight. This pattern is observed in non-First Nations communities in Ontario and other populations previously reviewed. However, there were a number of months in our data that did not follow the reported overall pattern (e.g., April, June and November). A further examination of these months should be considered. What was happening in the communities in April, July and August when there were no fatal fires? What was happening in January, June and December when there were more fatal fires?

Most (86%) fatal fires in First Nations communities had either no or non-operational smoke alarms or the presence of the smoke alarms was unknown. Smoke alarms and other safety planning approaches are important in preventing fire deaths. Smoke alarms can prevent fires from starting by alerting house occupants to smoke, allow for early detection and allow for more time to escape. The use of smoke alarms may be more complex in First Nations communities due to reasons such as wood stoves causing nuisance alarms, remoteness etc.

Education and prevention are key to reducing fire fatalities. Appropriate education and funding must be considered for the use, installation, and maintenance of smoke alarms. Suitable types of smoke alarms must be provided in accordance with the type of heating sources used. Specifically, in communities where wood stoves/wood heaters are used, special types of smoke alarms may be required to reduce nuisance alarms. The OFM provides resourcesfootnote 1 which follow Ontario Fire Code requirements and can be accessed by First Nations communities. The available material includes information for installing smoke alarms, using the hush feature, moving the alarm, trying a different type of smoke alarm, maintaining the alarm, planning and practicing escapes. 

Compared to non-First Nations communities in Ontario, more fatal fire investigations report the cause as undetermined in First Nations communities. This is likely due to the higher levels of damage to the structures in fatal fires in First Nations communities. OFM reports that in rural and remote areas with limited or no fire suppression, the levels of structural destruction is greater. Under such circumstances the opportunity to determine the cause of fire may be very limited. The factors described by the OFM are also factors that frequently occur when investigating fires in remote First Nations communities.

It is important to note that emergency response and fire suppression on their own are known to have a limited impact on survival. Early detection and escape are paramount. It is important to consider the funding and resources required for First Nations communities to ensure that training and education occurs on topics including fire escape, fire safety and resource and facility maintenance. This includes both communities where fire response services are available and unavailable. Tailored training should be delivered based on the community’s needs and realities. To assist in informing the decisions about the provision of fire protection services, communities can use the Community Risk Assessment technical guideline and worksheets developed by the OFM.

The review was focused on factors affecting fire fatalities. As discussed in the limitations section, there may be other factors that impact individual communities differently due to the unique realities of each. The impact of socioeconomic factors (socioeconomic standing, food security, cost of living, overcrowded living conditions, etc.) may be areas for future review. There may also be value in examining and comparing the resources and realities of First Nations communities experiencing fatal fires with other First Nations communities in Ontario that have not experienced fatal fires.

Further review could be conducted on the structural elements of fatal fires. Construction material may affect flammability and fire spread in structures. This review revealed that different materials and heating sources are used by the three categories of First Nations communities created for this review. The reasons for these differences require further review.

The Advisory Group raised several issues and concerns about housing structures and funding. As noted in 2018, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation indicated that in Ontario 25.5% of Indigenous households living on-reserve are living below adequacy and suitability standards and are unable to access acceptable housing.footnote 2

Important issues requiring further consideration in fire fatalities include:

  • funding for structures
  • allocation of funds to meet community needs
  • role of fire and building codes
  • status of structure maintenance
  • jurisdictional issues and responsibilities

Footnotes