The 2025 Tlu-piich Games were shut down halfway through the 3x3 basketball tournament at EJ Dunn Elementary School due to the encroaching smoke from the Mount Underwood wildfire.
Les Doiron, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) vice-president, delivered the bad news to a gymnasium packed with hungry ballers at around 12:30 p.m., Aug. 13.
“We’ve never seen smoke like this in the valley before. It’s dangerous, right. Ditidaht, they’ve got no power. It’s for the safety of all of our people,” said Doiron.
“Can we just finish our game?” one of the young players asked.
Doiron was kind but firm, re-iterating that it’s to keep people safe, plus out-of-town nations will have more time to make their way home.
Ditidaht cultural support worker Samantha Edgar says 40 people from Nitinaht journeyed to Port Alberni for the games on Sunday, the day before the wildfire was discovered.
Ditidaht has a remote First Nations community on the southwest of Vancouver Island on Nitinaht Lake, about two hours driving distance from Port Alberni. Its main access road, the Bamfield Main, is closed as crews battle the wildfire. The road closure also impacts the Huu-ay-aht First Nations community of Anacla and the town of Bamfield.
“I just got word that we might be without power for up to seven weeks. It’s been really hard. I’m worried about everyone that’s at home in the community because there are still lots of people there. They’re all working together down there, making sure everyone is ok. Daly’s Gas station from Youbou is delivering gas to the members,” said Edgar moments after the Tlu-piich Games ended.
Edgar went on to say that she was working on getting their hotel bookings extended.
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ citizen Tyson Touchie was refereeing the morning basketball games.
“Pretty much everyone showed up,” said Touchie. “You know how West Coast ballers are, they play or die, it doesn’t matter.”
But with ash from the wildfire falling on the softball pitch the day before, Touchie says everyone kind of knew the call would be coming.
Last year’s 3x3 Tlu-piich champions the Hot Dogs were on their way to defend their title with a cheeky 24-22 win over Ahousaht’s U17 team.
“Everyone was playing for second,” Hot Dogs player Vaugh Robinson joked in the parking lot as all the Nuu-chah-nulth teams packed up.
“Shout out to our rides. The people who bring us here,” added player Wiinuk Martin.
NTC executive also closed all Port Alberni offices for the next one or two days in the interest and well-being of staff health and safety.
