"Those fires I had to work through was a learning": An evaluation of the Eeyou Istchee Daily Smoke Monitoring Report.

Abstract

Background: In 2023, Eeyou Istchee experienced a record-breaking forest fire season, causing unprecedented damage to interconnected land, ecosystems, and cultural infrastructure. Acute health impacts of forest fires can be severe, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and heat-related illness. From May 2023 to September 2023, the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) shared verbal updates on smoke, fire, and heat at daily meetings with public health and broader emergency response partners. In 2024, CBHSSJB formalized these verbal updates into a daily written report, distributing publicly available information via email to inform a timely public health response.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of the Eeyou Istchee Daily Smoke Monitoring Report (shortened to the "Report") following the first season of implementation and identify potential improvements.

Methods: The evaluation was co-developed with key partners using participatory approaches, with evaluation objectives focusing on the Report's usefulness for decision-making with respect to smoke, fire, and heat. Key informant interviews (n=6) were carried out with Report recipients, and results were summarized using thematic analysis.

Results: Recipients described the Report as useful and a source of reassurance about current conditions in Eeyou Istchee. Suggested improvements included the addition of more visuals, plainer language, and supporting recipients seeking additional information to complement the Report (i.e., more specific than daily updates at a regional level).

Conclusion: Opportunities for improvement identified through this evaluation informed updates to the Report for 2025 and beyond, and may also be applied by other Indigenous organizations developing or enhancing their own environmental monitoring and reporting processes.