5th church fire on B.C. First Nations reserve, say RCMP

Vancouver -

A fire at a church on the Gitwangak Indian Band’s land has been extinguished, say RCMP.

It is the fifth recorded fire at a church on a First Nation reserve in one week. But while the other four fires destroyed the churches, this church is still standing.

The call came in around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 26, said BC RCMP North District spokesperson Madonna Saunderson.

“(We) received a call that there was a fire in the entranceway of an abandoned church on Church Road in Gitwangak,” reads her statement.

A post on the band’s Facebook page said a member spotted the fire and called for help.

“Our church was set on fire last night! Thankfully a member saw it and called the fire department! The fire was isolated and was put out!” it reads.

“This church is in no way affiliated with the Indian residential schools!” it continues.

Gitwangak is near New Hazelton. No one was reported injured, but the fire is being treated as suspicious.

“The church sustained minimal damage, and remains completely intact. It is vacant and not used by the community,” Saunderson said.

RCMP say they are looking to determine what, if any, connection there may be to the recent church fires in the South Okanagan within First Nation communities.

Gitwangak, sometimes called Kitwanga, means “place of rabbits.” The Gitwangak Indian Band is part of the larger Gitxsan Nation.

Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed people near the church in the early hours of June 26 to contact the New Hazelton RCMP Detachment at 250-842-5244.

Two of the other four fires happened on the same night as the fire at Gitwangak, however those fires happened at nations that are many hours away by car.

The now five church fires on First Nation reserves all happened in the month following an announcement from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc that it had discovered remains of 215 children in unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The school was run by Catholic missionaries.

On June 24, the Cowessess First Nation announced it had located 751 unmarked graves near a former residential school in Saskatchewan.

So far, officials have not announced any indication that the fires – including the one in Gitwangak – are connected to the discoveries at residential schools. However, Chief Keith Crow of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band mentioned the grave sites when discussing the church fires, and encouraged people who are struggling with the news of the residential schools to reach out for support.