(Lebel-Sur-Quévillon) A section of about fifty kilometers of Route 113 was closed to traffic Tuesday evening, between Senneterre and Lebel-sur-Quévillon, for an indefinite period, due to the presence of fires of forest in the region.
The Ministry of Transport explained that flames were raging near the roadway.
Route 113, 366 kilometers long, extends from the Val-d’Or region to that of Chibougamau.
Despite this road closure, the mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Guy Lafrenière, assured his citizens Tuesday evening that they were safe. In a communication sent on Facebook, he nevertheless invited residents to close their windows and wear an N95 mask if they had to go outside.
Guy Lafrenière also repeated the message that citizens should be ready at all times to evacuate for a second time. He recalled that the smoke conditions were very intense and that fires were raging north and south of the municipality.
In addition, Environment Canada does not expect rain for several more days in the region.
Lebel-sur-Quévillon, which has just over 2,000 inhabitants, is the site of a major pulp mill, Nordic Kraft.
The mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon announced that he would deliver a new update on the situation this Wednesday at 9 a.m.
The Minister of Public Security of Quebec, François Bonnardel, must also take stock of the forest fires on Wednesday morning, along with the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina.