Open fires banned near forests in several parts of Quebec
With hot weather forecasted across Quebec this week, the province's forest fire agency is advising the public not to light outdoor fires until at least Thursday.
"In the next few days, it's critical," said Stéphane Caron, spokesperson for the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU). "[Conditions] could make for fires with good spread and good intensity."
SOPFEU is urging Quebecers to take extra care extinguishing campfires and to use caution when operating heat-emitting equipment in the forest.
"Even when using all-terrain vehicles such as ATVs, we ask people to stay on marked trails and not to travel off-trail -- in trails where there will be dry brush which could easily be flammable -- because hot engine parts, such as the exhaust pipe, can ignite the brush," Caron explained.
A total of 152 forest fires have been recorded by SOPFEU since mid-April, affecting 142.5 hectares.
On average, the organization records 179 fires at this time of year.
Over the past thirty years or so, there has been a decrease in the number of fires, which is quite appreciable," Caron continued. "We don't know if this is something that's going to continue, particularly with climate change, but we've seen a new upward trend over the last five or six years."
QUEBEC BANS FIRES IN OR NEAR FORESTS
The province has outright banned open fires in or near forested areas in several locations.
The measure took effect on Sunday at 7 p.m. in the following areas.
- NORD-DU-QUÉBEC: Jamésie, Administration régionale Kativik, Eeyou Istchee (Waswanipi, Mistissini, Oujé-Bougoumou, Chisasibi, Eastmain, Nemiscau, Waskaganish, Wemindji).
- CÔTE-NORD: La Haute-Côte-Nord, Manicouagan, Sept-Rivières, Caniapiscau, Minganie – Île-d'Anticosti.
- SAGUENAY–LAC-SAINT-JEAN: Le Domaine-du-Roy, Maria-Chapdelaine, Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, Saguenay, Le Fjord-du-Saguenay.
- ABITIBI-TÉMISCAMINGUE: Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi-Ouest, Abitibi, La Vallée-de-l'Or.
- MAURICIE: Mékinac, Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières, Les Chenaux, Maskinongé, La Tuque.
- QUEBEC CITY: Charlevoix-Est, Charlevoix, L'Île-d'Orléans, La Côte-de-Beaupré, La Jacques-Cartier, Québec, Portneuf.
- BAS-SAINT-LAURENT: La Matapédia, La Matanie, La Mitis, Rimouski-Neigette, Les Basques, Rivière-du-Loup, Témiscouata, Kamouraska.
- GASPÉSIE–ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE: Le Rocher-Percé, La Côte-de-Gaspé, La Haute-Gaspésie, Bonaventure, Avignon.
- OUTAOUAIS: Papineau, Gatineau, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais, La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Pontiac.
- THE LAURENTIANS: Deux-Montagnes, Thérèse-De Blainville, Mirabel, La Rivière-du-Nord, Argenteuil, Les Pays-d'en-Haut, Les Laurentides, Antoine-Labelle.
- LANAUDIÈRE: D'Autray, L'Assomption, Joliette, Matawinie, Montcalm, Les Moulins.
- CHAUDIÈRE-APPALACHES: L'Islet, Montmagny, Bellechasse, Lévis, La Nouvelle-Beauce, Beauce-Centre, Les Etchemin, Beauce-Sartigan, Les Appalaches, Lotbinière.
- MONTÉRÉGIE: Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
SOPFEU RENEWS AID TO ALBERTA
SOPFEU announced this week that it will be renewing its assistance to Alberta, which is still dealing with major forest fires. Some 20 new firefighters were deployed west on Saturday to take over from those returning to Quebec.
Caron points out that the situation in Alberta has improved, but remains precarious.
Resources are therefore needed to carry out all the extinguishing work.
"For the rest, we'll see if the weather goes their way," he said.
On Saturday, Alberta authorities warned that hot, dry conditions are expected this weekend in some areas, keeping the province on its guard.
So far, Quebec has loaned Alberta 52 forest firefighters, a major fire management team of 12 specialists, an information officer, three agency representatives and combat equipment, SOPFEU said in a release.
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
A teen was found buried in a basement in New York. An engraved ring helped police learn her identity two decades later
For more than two decades, the unknown victim was nicknamed "Midtown Jane Doe" because she was found in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood of New York City. But this week, investigators finally revealed her identity.