The government of Quebec announced Monday morning the total and immediate lifting of the ban on open fires in or near the forest. This measure had been in effect since the end of last May.
Despite this decision, the fight against the forest fires was not over.
The weather conditions that Environment Canada predicted Monday for the start of the week in the Nord-du-Québec region should only give a little help to the teams fighting against major forest fires, particularly in areas on the outskirts of James Bay.
The federal agency predicted Monday morning that during the day, the probability of showers would rise to 60%. Showers were expected in the evening and overnight, with the possibility of a thunderstorm. For the day and evening of Tuesday, as well as overnight on Wednesday, the chance of showers was down to 40%.
No continued rain was expected.
At the end of the week, the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU) said that no community or municipality was directly threatened by the flames. The operations took place mainly in Radisson, where the airport was threatened by fire, as well as in the localities of Wemindji, Waskaganish and Eastmain, because of the proximity of the flames to the access roads.
The fire was also approaching Billy-Diamond Road, a major road access to the north.
On the other hand, Environment Canada maintained Monday for the James Bay region and for certain Cree communities a bulletin of poor air quality, due to high concentrations of fine particles from forest fires. These conditions could persist in the coming days, it was added.
Further north, the Inuit communities of Umiujaq, Kuujjuarapik and Inukjuak, on the Hudson Bay coast, were also affected Monday by poor air quality, as was that of Kuujjuaq, near the Ungava Bay.
On Monday morning, Prime Minister François Legault will visit certain areas affected by the forest fires. He should deliver a press conference at 11:35 a.m. at Normetal, in Abitibi.
Early Monday morning, SOPFEU reported that 101 fires were active in the Quebec forest, including 78 in the northern zone.