French firefighters arrive in Quebec to help fight wildfires; evacuees to receive $1,500 in compensation
The arrival of firefighters from France and New Brunswick is expected to bolster efforts to contain and control the large number of fires burning across Quebec in what's expected to be a marathon wildfire season, officials said Friday.
Maïté Blanchette Vézina, the province's minister of forests and natural resources, said the situation in the province remains critical but is improving.
The province's forest fire prevention agency — SOPFEU — says the arrival of fresh forces on the ground is a sign "the sprint phase has ended and we're now in the marathon phase," she told a Quebec City briefing.
Blanchette Vézina said the efforts in the coming days will permit firefighters to contain and begin extinguishing some of the approximately 140 fires that remained active across the province as of Friday morning, including some that have been allowed to burn freely due to a lack of personnel.
She said the improved situation is also allowing the province to lift the ban on activities in the woods in most of the Côte-Nord and parts of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean regions, although forestry work and all forms of fires are still prohibited.
Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said there should be about 1,200 people fighting fires in the province by Monday, including hundreds of firefighters from the United States, Portugal and Spain who were expected to arrive in the coming days. There were also 370 military members helping with logistics, evacuations and fire duties, he added.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault, right, speaks to officials while forest fires are raging as he visits the crisis operation centre in Quebec City, Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Quebec's wildfire season is the worst on record, officials said Wednesday, as the number of evacuees was expected to rise to more than 15,000 by the end of the day. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
COMPENSATION FOR WILDFIRE VICTIMS
As of Friday, the fires had forced more than 13,500 people from their homes, many of them in the northern municipalities of Chibougamau and Lebel-sur-Quévillon. About 50 people were also evacuated from a detention centre in Amos, Que., as a preventive measure, Bonnardel said.
Despite the stabilizing situation, Bonnardel said it was likely many of the evacuees wouldn't be able to return home before next week.
He announced the province would offer $1,500 to each household that was evacuated and would fully reimburse affected municipalities for the costs they incurred to run shelters, manage evacuations and fight fires.
Blanchette Vézina said the wildfire fight on Friday continued to focus on the province's northern and western regions, including on a blaze that came to within 500 metres of a town in the Abitibi region. She said the situation in Normétal, Que., remained critical but that no damage had been reported in the 800-person community located 720 kilometres northwest of Montreal.
Morale among firefighters on the ground remained high, she said, despite a gruelling week.
"They're all fighting, they're all on adrenalin," she said. "What they do, they're there to save lives, save communities, and their work and skills are put to full use. So morale is very good, and even better since reinforcements are arriving."
SOPFEU has described the current wildfire season as the worst on record. The province has reported a total of 444 wildfires so far this year, compared to an average of 207 at the same date during prior years.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.