The City of Chibougamau declared a state of emergency on Tuesday evening. The 7,500 residents of this municipality in Nord-du-Québec have been ordered to evacuate their homes.
At 8:15 p.m., Mayor Manon Cyr announced the mandatory evacuation of the entire city, including the resort area, in a video posted on Facebook.
“So change of program citizens and citizens. It is 8:15 am, it is Tuesday evening June 6 and we have had an opinion from SOPFEU [indiquant] that the fire advanced much more quickly than we would have thought”, mentions the mayor in your calm.
“We are therefore asking everyone to evacuate the municipality,” she continues.
“We do have time though. We ask you to be careful and to leave with the minimum of your effects, ”she adds.
In a message published in the minutes that followed, the City urged all citizens to “evacuate immediately”. It is mentioned that the Sûreté de Québec will regularly patrol to secure the perimeter and Route 167.
To facilitate the evacuation of those who do not have vehicles, the city has chartered buses that will leave from the Chibougamau arena. The Roberval arena, 255 kilometers away, has also been transformed into an emergency shelter. Mayor Manon Cyr said she spoke to the mayor of Roberval. “He is waiting for the people of Chibougamau,” she said.
Chapais on pre-evacuation alert
The Cree community of Oujé-Bougoumou, which numbers 900 people, was also evacuated on Tuesday evening. It is approximately 30 kilometers west of Chibougameau and 10 kilometers north of Chapais.
At 8:30 p.m., the municipality of Chapais, also in Nord-du-Québec, went on “pre-evacuation alert”. “We ask citizens to be ready. Among other things: pack a suitcase for a few days, have your medications and prescriptions on hand, make sure you have gas in your car, and above all, DON’T PANIC”, indicates the municipality of 1,600 inhabitants on his Facebook page.
The publication points out that Chapais is not in immediate danger since the fire which comes from the north of Mistissini is still several kilometers from the city. The municipality is also asking citizens to leave the road free for residents of Chibougamau and the community of Oujé-Bougoumou who must leave their region urgently.
Around 8:50 p.m., Prime Minister François Legault also posted a message on Twitter asking the evacuated citizens to keep courage. “The forest fire situation is changing rapidly, particularly for Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Oujé-Bougoumou, Chibougamau and Mistissini. We are monitoring the situation closely. We will take stock tomorrow morning with François Bonnardel (Minister of Public Security) and Maïté Vezina (Minister of Natural Resources and Forests). Courage to the citizens affected. »
The MNA for Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou, Sylvie Bérubé, also posted a message on social networks in support of the evacuees. “This evening, evacuation of Chibougamau. We are thinking of all of you who have to leave! Courage and hope. To Mayor Manon Cyr, it’s not easy going through this, but it’s life that matters most! Solidarity! It is the same for the communities of Oujé-Bougoumou and Chief Curtis Bosum as well as that of Mistissini and Chief Petawabano, courage since life is the most important! »