Indigenous communities face higher death rates from fires and lack of data leaves them vulnerable, says group – MSN
A report by the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) confirms what many Indigenous communities have long known: the rate of death for house fires in Indigenous communities is higher than in non-Indigenous communities.
The report, commissioned by the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC) and published earlier this month, found the rate of death was around 5 times higher for Indigenous communities.
It drew data from the National Fire Information Database between 2005-2021, aiming to show the scope of fire risks in Indigenous communities and identify gaps in data collection.
Arnold Lazare, Interim CEO of the NIFSC, said the findings validate decades of experiences from Indigenous communities.
