The high temperatures that are announced this week will probably make Quebecers want to go out and enjoy the good weather, but they also force the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to ban open fires in or near the forest.
Consequently, and in concert with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), the ministry has imposed a ban on the lighting of open fires in the forest in many regions of Quebec.
Nord-du-Québec, Côte-Nord, Saguenay — Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Mauricie, Capitale-Nationale, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudière , Chaudière-Appalaches, Montérégie and Gaspésie are thus affected in whole or in part.
In a map prepared by SOPFEU, almost the entire province is covered in red to indicate that it is forbidden to light an open fire in the forest or nearby since 7 p.m. Sunday evening.
“Everyone’s cooperation is essential so that the ban on open fires in the forest is respected. The purpose of this measure is to limit the risk of forest fires,” the ministry recalled in its press release, adding in passing that anyone who contravenes this measure is liable to receive a fine.
Currently, 10 fires are active in Quebec. Since the start of the protection season, 173 forest fires have affected 246 hectares.
Even before the imposition of this exceptional measure, SOPFEU had called for caution because of the period of dry weather expected this week in Quebec, where the mercury will hover around 30 degrees Celsius at times in some places.
“When SOPFEU calls for caution […]it really means that in the next few days, it’s critical, and that not only will there be easy fire starts, but if it happens, it could make fires with good spread, and good intensity, “specified Stéphane Caron, SOPFEU spokesperson, in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“Even in the use of all-terrain vehicles, an ATV, we will ask people to stay on marked trails, and not to travel off-road, on trails where there will be dry brush, which could easily be flammable, because hot engine parts, such as the muffler, can ignite brush,” explained Mr. Caron.
A new upward trend in the number of forest fires in the province is also observed.
“For the past thirty years, there has been a reduction in the number of fires, which is quite significant, says Stéphane Caron. We don’t know if it’s something that will take hold, especially with climate change, but we’ve seen a new upward trend over the past five or six years. »
SOPFEU renews its aid to Alberta
In addition, SOPFEU announced this week that it will renew its aid to Alberta, which still has to deal with major forest fires. About twenty new firefighters were deployed in the province on Saturday, to take over from those who are back in Quebec.
Stéphane Caron underlines that the situation in Alberta has improved, but that it remains “significant”.
“What you need to know is that when there have been, in a place like Alberta, a lot of fires at the same time, with fires out of control, there is a lot of work to ensure that all these lights are off, because you have to check each of the lights, by checking each of the hot spots,” explains the SOPFEU spokesperson.
Resources are therefore necessary in order to carry out all of the extinguishing work, specifies Mr. Caron. “For the rest, we’ll see if the weather will go in the right direction for them,” he said.
Alberta officials, however, warned Saturday that hot, dry conditions are expected this weekend in some areas, keeping the province on its toes.
Quebec has so far loaned Alberta 52 wildland firefighters, a major fire management team of 12 specialists, an information officer, three agency representatives and combat equipment, said SOPFEU by press release.