By Canadian Press

Quebec now taking the offensive against forest fires: natural resources minister

Jun 11, 2023 | 9:49 AM

MONTREAL — The number of out of control forest fires in Quebec has declined as firefighters begin to take the offensive instead of just reacting to the blazes, the province’s natural resources minister said Sunday.

Maïté Blanchette Vézina said there are still 131 fires burning in the province, but the number of those classified as out-of-control has dropped by 28 and now stands at44.

“We’ve gone from a reactive mode to an offensive mode,” she told reporters in Quebec City.

Fires near several communities in northern and northwestern Quebec have been brought partially under control, Blanchette Vézina said, but warned that with no rain expected in the affected areas before Tuesday, winds and continued dry conditions could stoke the flames.

Despite the progress, she said none of the nearly 14,000 Quebecers who have been forced from their homes will be able to return in the “very short term,” though some people may be able to go back before the end of the week. 

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“I know there are a lot of citizens who have been evacuated who are anxious to know when they will be able to return home,” she said. “For the moment, the situation remains difficult in the Nord-du-Québec sector, in Abitibi, so no return in the very short term. That said, things are improving.”

Blanchette Vézina said discussions with local officials about what factors will allow people to return to areas in and around Chibougamau, Que., where around 7,500 people were forced from their homes, were scheduled to take place Sunday and Monday. 

But later in the day, Chibougamau Mayor Manon Cyr said in a video posted on the city’s Facebook page that people could begin returning to their homes on Monday morning, though warned that services will be limited. 

Blanchette Vézina said it was too early to discuss plans to allow residents back into the northwestern Quebec cities of Normétal, where flames were 500 metres from parts of the community on Saturday, and Lebel-sur-Quévillon, where the fire was only a few kilometres away.

Lebel-sur-Quévillon Mayor Guy Lafrenière said the fire has not moved in the past three days. More than 100 firefighters from the United States are expected to arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday to help fight the fire, he said in a live video broadcast on the city’s Facebook page. 

Blanchette Vézina said reinforcements from other jurisdictions are allowing firefighters to launch “coordinated attacks” on the blazes, including a group of firefighters from France who are attacking a fire threatening the Atikamekw community of Obedjiwan.

More than one million hectares of forest has burned so far in Quebec this year, including nearly 750,000 hectares in what the province’s forest fire prevention and fighting service calls it’s “intensive protection zone” — all of Quebec south of the 50th or 51st parallel, depending on the area.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2023.

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press