The wildfire that forced the evacuation of nearly 5,000 people in the Fort Nelson area of northeastern British Columbia came within 2.5 kilometers of populated areas on Monday, and Westerly winds threaten to make the situation worse.
What there is to know
A wildfire that forced the evacuation of nearly 5,000 people is less than 3 kilometers from Fort Nelson in northeastern British Columbia.
About 550 residents have been evacuated in Manitoba and more could follow, the province announced.
In Alberta, the fire raging 16 kilometers from Fort McMurray did not progress overnight from Sunday to Monday.
“The Parker Lake wildfire now extends to more than 5,280 hectares and is located 2.5 kilometers west of the town of Fort Nelson,” summarized the Minister of Emergency Management and Protection. British Columbia Climate Preparedness, Bowinn Ma, in press briefing Monday.
The number of residents in the Town of Fort Nelson and Fort Nelson First Nation under the evacuation order reached approximately 4,700 as of Monday morning and the “vast majority” have complied.
However, some, including Duane Loe, who lives 3 km south of the municipality, plan to stay there. “We can’t be forced to leave,” he said. We will stay to protect our property, our homes and our livestock. » Mr. Loe estimates that around fifty residents, like him, refuse to pack up. Of the lot, some have expertise in firefighting.
However, Duane Loe hopes that the elements will be favorable to them. “It’s in God’s hands now,” he says.
“It is incredibly, incredibly difficult to leave your home,” Minister Ma acknowledged in an emotional voice, asking “anyone who had chosen to stay” to “leave now.”
With warmer winter temperatures and continued drought from last year, “many dormant fires have not been extinguished as they normally are [durant l’hiver] “, underlined the minister.
Evacuations in Manitoba
In Manitoba, the WE010 wildfire, which started near Flin Flon and grew to approximately 31,600 hectares, came within nearly 1.5 kilometers of the community of Cranberry Portage in northwest Manitoba. Province. The population was evacuated to Le Pas, an hour’s drive to the south. “Approximately 550 residents are affected, but the number could increase,” warned the Manitoba government in a bulletin Monday.
10 miles from Fort McMurray
In Alberta, the MWF017 fire, which covers 6,579 hectares, remained 16 kilometers southeast of Fort McMurray, the government service Alberta Wildfire said on its website Monday. Light showers “will help reduce activity” and give “a good window for firefighters” to contain it further, the province predicted.
PHOTO THE CANADIAN PRESS
The evacuation alert remains in effect for Fort McMurray and surrounding areas.
The evacuation alert nevertheless remains in effect for Fort McMurray and surrounding areas (Saprae Creek Estates, Gregoire Lake Estates, Fort McMurray First Nation #468, Anzac and Rickards Landing Industrial Park) so that residents are prepared to evacuate if necessary.
Another uncontrolled fire (Kleskun Creek) is raging 4 kilometers east of the village of Teepee Creek, located half an hour from Grande Prairie. Under the effect of southwest winds and in the absence of rain, this 1,382 hectare outbreak threatened to experience renewed activity on Monday.
Second-hand smoke
“Due to the wildfire situation in Alberta and Manitoba, the [Centre interservices des incendies de forêt du Canada] changed the country’s national preparedness level from Level 1 to Level 2,” announced the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC) on X Monday. “Agencies have sufficient resources to manage their current situation,” the CIFFC said on its website.
Smoke from Western Canada has prompted U.S. states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin, to issue air quality warnings, the Associated Press reported Monday. Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Michigan are also smoky. The fumes could travel even further south by Wednesday, to the city of Chicago and the state of Iowa, the National Weather Service said.
Calm in Quebec
In Quebec, the website of the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU) only reported one active forest fire late Monday afternoon, and it was under control. This 0.2 hectare home is located in the MRC Manicouagan, on the North Shore.
So far, 84 fires have been recorded in Quebec in 2024, less than the average of the last 10 years at the same date (113). The area affected is, however, almost equivalent, i.e. 85.5 hectares to date, compared to 87.5 hectares on average over the past 10 years.
Four localities in Abitibi-Témiscamingue will receive $1.1 million over four years to finance measures to mitigate the risks linked to forest fires, Quebec also announced in a press release on Monday. Part of the funds allocated to the towns of Val-d’Or, Senneterre and Normétal, as well as to the parish of Saint-Lambert, will be used to implement SOPFEU recommendations for vegetation control and public awareness. .
With The Canadian Press
Consult the interactive map from Natural Resources Canada
Consult the state of affairs in Quebec