The approximately 7,300 residents of Chibougamau, in Nord-du-Québec, may not be at the end of their sentence in connection with the forest fires, since the municipality has warned that it is possible that a second evacuation will be necessary due to the progression of two uncontrollable fires.
In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, the City of Chibougamau warned that its citizens may be forced to evacuate again due to the threat posed by fires 379 and 334.
“We have asked the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU) to give us at least 7 to 10 hours’ notice if this becomes necessary. SOPFEU accepted this request. We ask that you remain vigilant and calm as we follow the evolution of this fire,” the municipality said in its message to the population, referring to fire 334.
The City has promised to follow up on the situation on Sunday on its Facebook page, in addition to holding a press briefing during the day.
All residents of Chibougamau had to evacuate urgently in the evening of June 6, before being able to start returning home almost a week later, on June 12. The population had been invited to go to Roberval, about a three-hour drive away.
Chibougamau would not be the first city in Quebec to face a second evacuation. In Lebel-sur-Quévillon, in Jamésie, a new complete evacuation took place Thursday evening and was still in effect Sunday morning.
In both cases, the return of the rain is firmly expected. In Chibougamau, precipitation is expected on Monday, while we will have to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday in Lebel-sur-Quévillon.
Households that are forced to evacuate a second time are entitled to request a new compensation of $1,500 offered by the Government of Quebec.
Situation still difficult
Across the province, 81 fires were still active on Sunday morning, in addition to 33 others in the northern zone, according to data provided by SOPFEU on its website.
SOPFEU indicated Sunday to fight 43 priority fires. Of the active fires in the province, 25 are uncontrolled.
The regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean are still those of greatest concern to authorities, according to an update published Sunday morning on the Ministry of Public Security website.
The flammability indices still varied from “very high” to “extreme” in several regions of Quebec on Sunday morning, also indicated Public Security.
In addition to those in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, evacuations are also underway in certain sectors of Senneterre and Val-d’Or, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as Mistissini and the locality of Valcanton, in the Nord-du -Quebec. More than 430 vulnerable people from the community of Obedjiwan, in Mauricie, were also evacuated as a preventive measure.