(Montreal) Two fires are currently active in Quebec. Because of “these conditions”, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks has decided to prohibit in several regions the possibility of making open fires, in the forest or nearby. The ban will go into effect tomorrow at 8 a.m.
Posted at 8:43 p.m.
This decision, taken in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU), aims to limit the risk of forest fires.
The measure targets 13 RCMs spread across the province. This concerns Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Estrie, Mauricie, Chaudière-Appalaches, Laurentians, Outaouais, Lanaudière, Centre-du-Québec, Capitale-Nationale, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
The heat is starting to settle in Quebec, especially in the south of the province. SOPFEU points out that over the next few days, the weather conditions will be “particularly conducive to the outbreak of wildfires at the edge of the forest and near municipalities. She explains that in the spring the dead leaves, grass and branches on the ground dry up quickly and thus become very flammable.
Since the start of the protection season, 69 forest fires have affected 73.5 hectares. The average for the last ten years at the same date is 81 fires for an area of 58.8 hectares.
Under the Sustainable Forest Development Act, anyone who contravenes an order prohibiting open fires in or near the forest is liable to a fine, the costs of which vary from $500 to $50,000.