The mayor of Chapais on Thursday encouraged residents with health problems to go to Saint-Félicien, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. However, this is a voluntary evacuation. Elsewhere in Jamésie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the situation remains stable.
“The evacuations are voluntary, but strongly recommended for people in precarious health. Especially because health options have been limited since Chibougamau was evacuated, ”explained the mayor of Chapais, Isabelle Lessard, at a press conference.
Citizens of the Jamesian municipality can go to Saint-Félicien, on the shore of Lac Saint-Jean, 250 kilometers away. They will be accommodated in an emergency accommodation centre. Psychosocial teams are on site and pets are accepted, said the mayor.
Mme Lessard said around 6:15 p.m. that the fire threatening the municipality had not progressed Thursday, but had expanded. Winds are expected to be favorable pushing the blaze away from town on Friday, she added. In addition, 150 additional firefighters, including soldiers, will come to reinforce the teams already on site, she also said. The construction of the mechanized lines north of the city has been completed.
“Yes, the winds are favorable, but that can change at any time,” she warned, however.
A stable situation in Lebel-sur-Quévillon
The situation remains “stable” in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, where SOPFEU is working hard to allow residents to return to their homes.
“They are digging a trench from the end of the industrial park to the campground road. After that, they will make a second trench which will also start from the end of the industrial park to go to the golf club sector. We are doing this to protect the city, because there could be a danger that comes back on the other side, ”explained Thursday the mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Guy Lafrenière.
Reached by telephone, the elected official specifies that these trenches are erected in the south “since it is the side of the city where we are not protected by water”. At the end of the morning, the mayor was also still waiting for the arrival of two SOPFEU tanker planes to push the flames back even further.
Fire 256, located to the north, “is currently stable and calmer,” also explained Mr. Lafrenière. “It was the fire that had been worrying us for two days. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t worry us anymore, but it’s quieter than the other days. We are still under surveillance.”
As for fire 344, the first having passed through the area, “it is still under surveillance, but does not worry us in the short term either, since the wind is going north and the fire is moving away from the city”, added the mayor. “According to the SOPFEU people, we should have a great day,” he persisted.
Meanwhile, 160 kilometers to the south, workers were also busy Thursday erecting a large trench in the Senneterre industrial park, in order to protect the many businesses there from fires. Other trenches could also be made near Route 113 North to protect residential areas.
“Me too, I find it long”
According to the mayor, another fire this week affected the site of the Windfall project, a gold mine located 115 kilometers east of Lebel-sur-Quévillon. Wood was burned, “but I am told that all the main buildings were not affected”, he assured.
Guy Lafrenière recalls that a day and night team from the City continues to roam the streets of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, in order to ensure in particular “that there is no one left”. To people who have left pets in a house, “call the City, and we’ll take care of it,” retorts the mayor.
Despite the more stable situation, the evacuation notice remains, and no one can return, he hammered. “There are people who find it long. It’s been Friday night anyway. Me too, I find it long. But it is a matter of security for citizens. There is no official return date yet. We hope it will be soon, but we can’t promise a date. When it’s going to calm down, we’re going to give you a sign, don’t worry, ”he breathed.
State of emergency lifted in Sept-Îles
The City of Sept-Îles, for its part, announced Thursday that the state of emergency will be lifted “considering the situation on the ground” and the air quality still deemed “good”. Fires 215 and 378, which were slowed down by rain and which remain calm in its southern part, are considered “contained”.
Nevertheless, vigilance remains in order and the ban on access to the forest and on open fires remains in force. Some 150 soldiers and firefighters remain on the ground to fight the flames, authorities say. The repatriation of patients evacuated from the CISSS de la Côte-Nord should end on Friday, and other users from other regions could be welcomed.
In Chibougamau, fire 334 is now located “about 26 km from the city,” the municipality said Thursday. It had been attacked from the air on Wednesday. Fire 379, 60 km from the city, is “not threatening at the moment”, but remains “still out of control”. About “75% of the fire cuts have been made in the northeast of the city”, according to the administration of Mayor Manon Cyr.