As parts of Quebec brace for the first heat wave of the season, the province’s forest fire prevention agency (SOPFEU) is on high alert.
An open air fire ban has been issued near forested areas for the majority of regions in Quebec, including the Montérégie, Laurentians, Mauricie and Outaouais regions.
Quebec’s Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks confirmed that current conditions of hot, dry weather are increasing the risk of wildfires. This creates what officials are calling a potentially dangerous situation.
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 a forest or nearby since 7 p.m. Sunday.
“The collaboration of all is essential so that the ban on open fires in the forest is respected. This measure is intended to limit the risk of forest fires,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday, adding that anyone who violates the ban faces a fine.
Currently, 10 fires are active in Quebec. So far, 173 forest fires have affected 246 hectares across the province this year.
SOPFEU had previously called for caution because of the period of dry weather expected this week in Quebec, where the mercury will hover around 30 C at times in some places.
“When SOPFEU calls for caution, it really means that in the coming days it’s critical,” said Stéphane Caron, spokesperson for SOPFEU. “And that not only will there be easy fire starts, but if it happens it could start fires with good propagation, and good intensity.
“Even in the use of all-terrain vehicles, an ATV, people are going to be asked to stay on marked trails — and not travel off-road, on trails where there is going to be dry brush, which could easily be flammable — because hot engine parts, such as the muffler, can ignite the brush.”
Quebec has also seen an upward trend of fire forests in recent years.
“For around 30 years, there was a reduction in the number of fires, which is quite significant,” Caron said. “We do not know if this is something that will hold, especially with climate change, but we have seen a new upward trend over the past five or six years.”
Help for Alberta
SOPFEU also announced last week that it will continue to help Alberta as major forest fires burn on. About 20 additional firefighters were deployed to the province on the weekend to take over from those who are back in Quebec.
Caron said that while situation in Alberta has improved, it remains “significant.” He explained that when there are many out-of-control fires at once, it takes a lot of work to ensure they are put out.
Resources are therefore necessary in order to carry out all of the extinguishing work, Caron added.
“For the rest, we’ll see if the weather will go in the right direction for them,” he said.
Alberta officials, however, warned on Saturday that hot, dry conditions are expected this weekend in some areas, keeping the province on high alert.
Quebec has so far loaned 52 wildland firefighters, a major fire management team of 12 specialists, an information officer, three agency representatives and combat equipment to Alberta, according to SOPFEU.
— With files from Canadian Press
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