Wildfire tally tops 150 as thousands more evacuate northwestern Quebec
Wildfires in northwestern Quebec prompted thousands to evacuate the area over the weekend, as the number of blazes pushed past 150 and firefighters and the military poured into parts of the province to fight the encroaching flames -- even as that threat eased slightly Sunday on the North Shore.
Some 5,500 residents of the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region, which borders Ontario, have been relocated, Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel said at a news conference in Montreal.
Another 4,500 people in the North Shore community of Sept-Iles and its outskirts were also forced from their homes due to a pair of wildfires burning north of the city, but no further evacuations are planned at the moment, Bonnardel said.
Rain is expected in the area in the coming days -- though not as much as initially forecasted -- and the wind direction there and in Abitibi are favourable, he added.
Nonetheless, the state of emergency in Sept-Iles, which sits about 890 kilometres northeast of Montreal, has been extended for five days, with evacuation orders in place at least through Monday morning. Some 100 soldiers were set to arrive Sunday evening to lend a hand, hot on the heels of the 100 who landed in the city Saturday.
The number of forest fires in the province notched up to 156 Sunday from 134 the day before, including 35 actively being fought by teams from Quebec forest fire prevention organization SOPFEU.
"We concentrate our battles on these fires because we want to protect human life, the houses and enterprises. And we want to protect our infrastructure, like Hydro-Quebec's," Bonnardel said at the news conference held alongside other public officials at provincial police headquarters.
Hundreds of soldiers will deploy across the province, joining 475 firefighters under SOPFEU's banner, he said. An additional 200 provincial police officers are also deployed in the most affected regions.
"Within a few days, there should be more than 1,000 people on the ground to fight these fires," Bonnardel said.
Included in that figure are 100 firefighters from France, en route to shore up the effort, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a Twitter post Sunday afternoon. "Canadian friends, reinforcements are coming," he wrote in French.
"We are facing a situation that has never been seen," said Natural Resources and Forests Minister Maite Blanchette Vezina at the news conference in Montreal.
Residents are barred from entering the forests of several vast regions, including Northern Quebec, Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean and parts of the North Coast, Outaouais, Mauricie, Lanaudiere and the Laurentians, Vezina noted.
- READ MORE: Fires force evacuations in Val-D'Or
On Saturday evening, the regional municipality of Val-d'Or announced the mandatory evacuation of several areas sparked by two wildfires and poor air quality. Located within Abitibi-Temiscamingue, the community is under a state of emergency.
No blazes are currently threatening the city of Val-d'Or itself, SOPFEU said Sunday. Between 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday, public health officials had recommended staying home with the windows closed due to the smoky haze engulfing the area.
About 2,000 residents of Lebel-sur-Quevillon, about 620 kilometres northwest of Montreal, received a mandatory evacuation notice on Friday evening due to nearby blazes. The thick smoke initially prevented planes from flying in the area Sunday morning before it cleared somewhat.
At a news conference in Sept-Iles, Mayor Steeve Beaupre said caution is key.
"The fire situation is evolving encouragingly, but it remains out of control and threatening for the municipality," he said.
"The situation may not have gotten worse, but it has to get better ... We made the decision to go gradually and watch the evolution for the next 24 hours."
Things shift with the weather, warned SOPFEU spokeswoman Isabelle Gariepy.
"As long as it is not contained, the state of a fire can change depending on where we are with the temperature," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 4, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Newfoundland
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
NEW How Canadians can watch the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Europe’s top pop stars are out and about for the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Malmo, Sweden.