The Quebec government is issuing a preventive notice on Thursday morning regarding the risk of forest fires and is asking for the cooperation of the entire population.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF) and the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) are asking Quebecers to avoid or restrict their trips to the forest as much as possible over the next few days, due to the index of extreme flammability and worrying fires in progress in certain places in Quebec.
This recommendation, made in concert with the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU), applies to all regions of Quebec. Not only does it aim to reduce the risk of fire, but also to facilitate SOPFEU’s operations.
For the past few days, it has been prohibited to make open fires in or near the forest throughout Quebec.
High and dry temperatures as well as low precipitation throughout Quebec increase the flammability index.
SOPFEU adds that in the spring, there are a lot of dead plants on the ground, which constitute a highly flammable fuel, because it dries out very quickly with a few hours of sunshine and a little wind.
Thursday morning, SOPFEU reported that 11 forest fires were active in Quebec. The most active raged in the Jamésie region, in the northwest, as well as in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
One of them, which burned in Chapais, was out of control and caused residents to be evacuated to the town of Chibougamau on Wednesday.
To see in video