Forest fires | Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season in the 21st century

More than 47,000 square kilometers have burned since the beginning of the year in the country. In Quebec, around 7,000 people were still homeless on Tuesday. The next few hours will be decisive.

Strong gusts, rain proving essential, lightning rekindling the flames; Across the country, Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season in the 21st^e century, according to the latest data released by the federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair. And the fires are particularly violent in Quebec.

More than 47,000 square kilometers have burned since the start of the year in the country, with 431 fires still active. In British Columbia, authorities describe a “volatile and rapidly changing” situation. In northern Quebec, the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU) counted 111 active fires late Tuesday afternoon, including more than thirty deemed “out of control”.

In a press briefing, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, indicated Tuesday morning that around 7,200 citizens were still deprived of their homes. The risks associated with fires remain too high, particularly in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, in Abitibi. In this sector, the situation requires constant monitoring around the facilities of the Nordic Kraft plant due to the risk of explosion.

In Fermont, on the North Shore, chalets were evacuated on Tuesday due to a forest fire that threatens the municipality. The City issued a statement in the evening informing its residents that a “fire [faisait] rabies near Lowball Lake,” to the south. “The priorities of the Fire Department remain human lives [et] the evacuation of vacation cabins. The occupants of chalets along Lake Carheil will be evacuated.

“In the immediate future, the fire does not pose a threat to the population and the expected rainfall should help to mitigate it. We are monitoring the situation closely, ”the minister responsible for the region, Kateri Champagne Jourdain, said on Twitter. According to the SOPFEU website, the fire that threatens Fermont would cover 123.9 hectares.

imponderables

“There are too many weather imponderables in the air to promise evacuees that they will be able to return home in the next few hours. But if all goes well, the government will lift evacuation orders, one by one, within 24 to 48 hours, in several municipalities in northern Quebec affected by the forest fires,” said Minister Bonnardel.

In the Normétal sector, the flames approached up to 500 meters from the residences, recalled the minister. But the weather forecast announces that the plume should take the direction of Ontario, with a respite hoped for in the next three to four days.

In Chibougamau, continued Mr. Bonnardel, people continue to return to their homes. Tuesday afternoon, the people of Beaucanton and Val-Paradis, municipalities located in Jamésie (James Bay northwest, route 393) had to obtain approval to return to their homes. Starting today, evacuees will be eligible for $1,500 in financial assistance to help cover losses associated with the blazes.

“In the Sept-Îles region, the rain came to give the fighters a serious boost. But like everywhere else, we must remain vigilant. We are very anxious to tell the evacuees from other sectors that they can return to their homes. The next 24 to 48 hours will be critical,” said the Quebec minister.

As a result of these forest fires, air quality will remain poor for the next few days, from the northwest of the province to Montreal. The plume of fine particles could even continue to spread towards New York State.

On the ground, 1,150 firefighters are fighting to fight forest fires, which are particularly out of control in the northwest of the province. Two contingents arrived from the United States to lend a hand to the forest firefighters. A contingent from Portugal should arrive on Wednesday, which will allow some teams to take over. There are always about twenty air tankers at work and 72 helicopters criss-crossing the territory.

Elsewhere in the country

Elsewhere in the country, Environment Canada has indicated that a system could dump up to 25 millimeters of rain on the parched Peace River region of British Columbia. But these rains will likely be followed by thunderstorms and winds gusting to 60 kilometers per hour.

Hundreds of people have been forced from their homes or are on evacuation alert as the 4,660 square kilometer Donnie Creek Fire continues to rage. The blaze became the second largest on record in the province.

The same weather system triggered severe thunderstorm watches for much of southeastern British Columbia. Western Vancouver Island is under special weather watches for most other central and southern areas.

This includes the region of eastern Vancouver Island, where a small, violent and uncontained fire is burning on steep hills, indefinitely closing the only paved link to Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.

In Alberta, a fire continues to threaten the community of Edson, where 8,400 residents are under an evacuation watch released Friday.

A gigantic fire in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, is still not under control, although authorities say the 235 square kilometer Barrington Lake fire is no longer progressing.

With climate change, and in light of the upward trend in fires everywhere in the world, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, repeated in a press briefing that a serious assessment will take place in the fall in order to to reassess staffing and equipment needs.

With Vincent Larin, The Pressand The Canadian Press