Dehcho residents report fuel contamination, health concerns

Since flood waters hit the Northwest Territories communities of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River, 10 reports of fuel spills have been reported on the territory's spill database, some on residential properties. 

It's left people wondering what that means for wildlife in the area and whether homes are actually safe to return to. 

Beth Hudson, a Fort Simpson resident, told CBC last week that there isn't clear information about environmental impact. 

Will nesting birds be affected? What about people who have gardens, can they still plant vegetables and fruit? Those are just a few of the questions Hudson has. She wants to make sure wildlife and the land around Fort Simpson isn't going to be impacted in the long-term. 

"You know, are there ways that I could be helping right now [to] prevent that? You know, could I be going out with Dawn dish soap and washing stuff?"

Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly said homeowners have reported smelling fuel in their houses, but have been given limited information on what to do in that situation. 

Initially, some residents said they couldn't return home because of the smell of fuel, but after removing wet insulation and conducting some repairs, they said the smell dissipated considerably. 

He told CBC some have returned home, but he wonders about potential health risks. 

"A lot of people probably did end up staying in homes when they probably shouldn't have," mainly because they wanted to get home as quickly as they could, Whelly said. 

Residents have been tasked with assessing damage to their homes independently, while they wait for assessors. 

Extent of fuel contamination unknown

An assessor with the N.W.T. government will be in Fort Simpson this week to start assessing damages. They will be accompanied by officials to help navigate assistance programs as well. 

Whelly said "it's a good start." 

He hopes their presence will provide clarity to residents on what they should do next, especially amid potential health concerns. 

Most spills reported in the database do not have an estimate of how much fuel was actually released. 

In Fort Simpson, a petrol tank was reported to have floated down river. 

A housing unit in Jean Marie River reported 1,000 litres of fuel released, requiring extensive rebuilding efforts. 

In March, Derwin Clille told CBC that he could see fuel sitting on top of water near his home, which has been "completely destroyed."

"We only could stay out of the truck for … about a minute before the fuel smell got too bad," he said.

Fort Simpson's warming shelter damaged 

Meanwhile, the warming shelter, which opened in Fort Simpson this past December, is facing damage and disruptions. 

Around four to five people continue to use the shelter on a regular basis, but now, they don't have access to hot water or heating. 

Floodwaters destroyed the shelter's hot water tank and furnace. The village is trying to secure funding to repair the shelter, so they can keep the shelter running through the upcoming winter. 

"We have to keep the shelter open. There's no other choice," Whelly said.

Without the shelter, some people are forced to stay in shacks around the island, which have since been destroyed by the historic flood.   

He said it does not make sense to neglect those "with the least," as they try to access basic necessities for survival.

"It's not a huge ask to keep shelters open," Whelly said.