Large fire rips through brush south of Montreal
A large fire left stretches of brush south of Montreal burnt to ashes as firefighters hosed down fields to contain the blaze.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. The fire, while enormous, was contained to an area of undeveloped land, according to local authorities.
The blaze began at around 2 p.m. Sunday near Ile Saint-Bernard, launching plumes of smoke into the air visible from nearby roadways.
The fire drew a small crowd of onlookers, including 14-year-old Stella Wilson, who had been driving with family to visit a garage sale.
"And then, I saw in the sky there was a huge cloud of smoke," she told CTV News. "At first, I thought it was from a storm."
A large brush fire left large swaths of land south of Montreal burnt to a crisp Sunday afternoon (Photo courtesy of Corey Wilson).
When they got closer to the blaze, Wilson estimated the flames had spread to an area larger than a football field.
Firefighters were able to get the fire under control in a matter of hours.
Authorities say that the blaze was all but out by around 5:30 p.m.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but it's unlikely to have started due to criminal activity.
Local authorities say the fire, which erupted south of Montreal Sunday afternoon, was under control in a matter of hours (Photo courtesy of Corey Wilson).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.