Five to ten millimeters of rain are expected Wednesday on the North Shore, which should give a boost to forest firefighting teams who are still battling fires raging near Port-Cartier and Sept-Îles.
According to Environment Canada, the cloudy weather forecast at the start of the day should give way to rain from the end of the morning. However, there is a risk of thunderstorms during the afternoon.
For the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU), the arrival of this rain is good news, since it should reduce the intensity of the fires and allow teams on the ground to intervene “more effectively”.
Three forest fires are still considered out of control on the North Shore, which means they are progressing. However, the winds push them north, away from the communities.
Fires forced the evacuation of approximately 1,000 people in Port-Cartier last weekend, but affected residents were allowed to return home on Monday. The municipality still remains in a state of emergency.
Around 200 people are mobilized to fight against the blazes on the North Shore. By Thursday, three other sections of forest firefighters and auxiliary fighters will be added to the workforce, in addition to around ten specialized resources.
The rain expected in the region on Wednesday should also have a positive impact on air quality for the next 24 hours.
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