New regions of southern Quebec, including Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Haute-Mauricie, are now subject to a ban on making fires in or near the forest, starting Tuesday.
Posted at 7:33 p.m.
A ban on open fires near forests had already been in effect in southern and western Quebec since May 7.
“This measure prohibits anyone staying in or near the forest from making open fires”, specifies the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) on its website.
New sectors are now targeted, namely northern Mauricie, Lac-Saint-Jean and northern Abitibi-Témiscamingue. For all the sections concerned, consult the website of the Society for the protection of forests against fire (SOPFEU).
This new ban will come into effect Tuesday, May 10, from 8 a.m.
Violators may be liable for fines ranging from $500 to $50,000 under the Sustainable Forest Development Act.
More wildfires this spring
Spring is particularly conducive to forest fires this year, specifies the MFFP by press release. Currently, 12 fires are active in Quebec.
In total, since the start of the season, 138 forest fires have affected 114.2 hectares, specifies the MFFP.
It is also 36 fires more than the annual average of the last ten years, at the same date. As a result, 32 hectares more than average were burned. The ten-year annual average of hectares affected by forest fires on this date is 82.4 hectares.
Last weekend, SOPFEU had to intervene for 42 wildfires, despite the ban in force. “SOPFEU asks the population to respect the BAN ON OPEN FIRES, where it is in force”, indicated the Company on its Facebook page.
In the more northern sectors, “even if the snow cover is still present in the forest, the danger of fire can still be very high, even extreme in the fields and on the edge of the forest”, warns SOPFEU.