(Montreal) For the first time in several weeks, not a single uncontrolled forest fire has been reported in the intensive zone of fires in the northwest of the province.
The Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU) continues to expand the areas where it is no longer prohibited to travel in the forest or to make open fires there.
However, there were still 58 active fires in the intensive zone on Monday morning, i.e. 39 fires under control and 19 which were contained.
The eastern portion of the intensive zone is expected to receive a lot of rain over the next two days, which should help improve the situation even further.
However, the western part, particularly in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and in the Lebel-sur-Quévillon sector, will have little or no rain in the short term, with the most significant precipitation expected there around the end of next week.
The northern zone is burning
On the other hand, the situation continues to deteriorate in the northern zone, where the number of fires has now reached 85. The ban on driving in the forest or making open fires extends over the entire length of the James Bay to the west to Caniapiscau Reservoir to the east and from Lake Mistassini to the south to Lake Bienville to the north. This is an area approaching 210,000 square kilometres, nearly a third of the area of France.
This entire area is also covered by a poor air quality advisory issued by Environment Canada and little rain is expected there in the short term.