(Quebec) Nearly 250 firefighters from Portugal and Spain landed Wednesday evening at the Jean-Lesage airport. They will join those of SOPFEU, France and the United States who are struggling to control the historic forest fires that are devastating Quebec.
The arrival of this latest contingent will bring the number of fighters on the ground to 1,500 by the end of the week. This extraordinary deployment comes as the long-awaited rain in the last few days is long overdue and the time of year is approaching when the potential for fires is at its peak.
In short, the fire crisis is far from over in Quebec.
“We don’t think that the current rain, with the information we have, will allow us to bring the situation down to a level where we will be sure to regain control when good weather returns from the weekend” , warned SOPFEU spokesperson Sylvain Tremblay on Wednesday during a technical briefing for the media.
The situation on the ground remains “worrying”. In all, 127 fires were still active Wednesday evening in Quebec. It’s as much as Tuesday.
SOPFEU estimates that between 20 and 25 millimeters of precipitation would be needed over a few days “to normalize the situation”.
“There, we are more in the order of 3-4 mm, but in some places, we did not have any at all, notes Mr. Tremblay. At one station, we were above 30 mm. But a province-wide station… Unfortunately, it wasn’t where it should have fallen. »
PHOTO PLANET LABS PBC
Satellite images of forest fires northeast of Chibougamau, in northern Quebec, Wednesday
Environment Canada confirms SOPFEU’s forecasts. If the regions around La Tuque and Chibougamau could receive about twenty millimeters of rain by Friday, Abitibi-Témiscamingue is only expecting about ten before the weekend. Thunderstorms are also expected, accompanied by lightning, which may ignite other fires.
If the weather does not give the combatants a helping hand, Quebec will not be able to control the fires before the arrival of the most critical period of the year.
“The drought continues, the rains are insignificant and we are entering the summer period […] where in Quebec, we are in the maximum situation for the potential for forest fires, ”warns the spokesperson for SOPFEU.
“All of Quebec is grateful”
In the absence of rain, SOPFEU will be able to count on more than 1,500 fighters in the field by the end of the week. From memory, Sylvain Tremblay does not remember such a large deployment.
PHOTO FRÉDÉRIC MATTE, THE SUN
The Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, greeting Portuguese and Spanish firefighters upon their arrival in Quebec
“All of Quebec is grateful for your mission,” said the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, upon the arrival Wednesday afternoon of firefighters from the Iberian Peninsula.
The 140 Portuguese firefighters and 99 Spanish firefighters are in Quebec for two weeks. Their arrival brings the number of foreign firefighters fighting wildfires in the province to 507, along with those from France and the United States.
Fifty-four firefighters from New Brunswick are also on the ground, as are 282 soldiers.
Fortunately, the situation of the evacuees has greatly improved in recent days. According to the General Directorate of Civil Security, there are currently 2,800 evacuees, in particular the inhabitants of Lebel-sur-Quévillon.
“We thought the rain would come to Lebel-sur-Quévillon,” said Sylvain Tremblay. But for now, there has been no significant rain there or in Chibougamau. »
Increased resources in sight
Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, pledged Wednesday to provide more resources “on many levels” to the provinces to minimize the impact of “extreme” weather events that are likely to worsen. But the Prime Minister refuses for the moment to reveal his game, not specifying in detail his intentions.
PHOTO REUTERS
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits the Bagotville military base on Wednesday
“We will have to invest in infrastructure, in preparations, in prevention to minimize the impact which, we know, is likely to increase,” said Mr. Trudeau on Wednesday, visiting the Bagotville military base in Saguenay.
Asked more specifically whether discussions between Quebec and Ottawa had progressed on the acceleration of production of the CL-415 aircraft, Mr. Trudeau was however cautious. “Yes, we are talking about planes, but also about more training for firefighters, for the population, the military, and more resources at many levels. We are currently working to resolve this crisis, ”he offered.
“In terms of the training of our Armed Forces, particularly in the West and in Alberta, there is a lot of expertise,” he noted. The military bases here, in the East, are a little less accustomed to forest fires, perhaps more to floods, but there is continuous training that is done, ”also argued Mr. Trudeau.