The Cree community of Mistissini is starting to evacuate to Chicoutimi today. For the moment, it is not the village that is threatened, but the road that connects it to Chibougamau, which is an hour to the south.
Caution is therefore needed to prevent the community from becoming isolated.
On its Facebook page, the band council indicates that the fire is about 10 kilometers from Route 167 and 28 kilometers from Mistissini.
“We’re expecting some really heavy smoke. Driving is expected to be difficult due to poor visibility. We have time to evacuate carefully. »
Thursday, the smoke was already so dense that SOPFEU had to interrupt its operations.
Transportation service is available.
Elderly or sick people were already evacuated earlier this week.
A shelter in Alma was supposed to pick up about 60 animals.
In early June, when Premier François Legault suggested that Mistissini was probably going to be evacuated, Chief Michael Petawabano recalled that it was up to the band council to decide. This is what has been done in recent days.