The wave of heat and good weather which continues in several regions of Quebec pushes the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to prohibit open fires in forests and nearby in certain places, in order to prevent the risk of fires. forest are triggered.
In concert with the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU), the ministry has decided that this ban will come into force from 8 a.m. Tuesday morning for most of the northern regions of the province.
Nord-du-Québec, Côte-Nord, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudière, Mauricie, Capitale-Nationale, Bas-Saint-Laurent , Gaspésie and Chaudière-Appalaches are thus affected in whole or in part.
In the sectors concerned, it will therefore be prohibited to light an open fire – which is defined as “any fire burning freely or which could spread freely” – in a forest or near a forest, under penalty of a fine of between $500 and $50,000.
Campfires, fireworks and the use of instruments capable of producing sparks will therefore be prohibited. Fires lit in installations provided for this purpose, which are equipped with spark arresters, will still be permitted.
Due to the hot and dry weather, SOPFEU estimates that the fire danger will reach the “extreme” level on Tuesday in the regions covered by the ban.
“Rising temperatures, the absence of precipitation and low relative humidity levels will lead to increased fire intensity and spread indices for the coming days,” she said in a press release.
SOPFEU therefore asks the population to be vigilant during outdoor activities.
Since the start of the protection season, SOPFEU has recorded 134 fires which have affected 145.1 hectares of forest. Of this number, 81% is attributable to human activity.
Currently, two fires are active.