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
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.