Arsons, suspicious fires occurring at ‘alarming rate’ in Nunavik

Of the 70 fires reported in Nunavik last year, 20 were arson or of suspicious origin, according to Kativik Regional Government civil security director Craig Lingard.

“It is something we have noticed in previous years, and it is getting to an alarming rate,” Lingard said at a meeting of KRG regional council Tuesday that Nunavik Police Service took charge of files from 29 of the fires for investigation.

This graph shows fire losses reported in Nunavik communities over the past five years. (Graphic courtesy of Kativik Regional Government)

Arson is suspected to be the cause of two of the region’s most costly blazes that occurred in 2022 — a residential fire in Kangiqsujuaq that had a material loss of more than $1.5 million, and a fire at the Kativik Ilisarniliriniq warehouse that caused $1.5 million damage.

It also includes the fire in October at Aaniavituqarq centre, a rehabilitation facility in Puvirnituq for people experiencing a mental health crisis. In that incident, one person died and a 20-year-old woman was charged with arson.

In his presentation, Lingard said that in Nunavik in 2022 three people died as a result of fires, two more were injured, five people were rescued and 30 had to be evacuated.

Of the 14 Nunavik communities that reported damage from fires last year, total losses were $6.9 million — nearly double the $3.7 million reported by those communities in 2021.

He said KRG intends to focus on fire safety awareness and education by partnering with Nunavik police to develop activities for prevention.