Despite difficult weather conditions, Chibougamau, Que. residents avoid second evacuation
Despite weather conditions that are complicating firefighters' work, residents in Chibougamau, Que. do not need to be evacuated for the time being, the municipality's mayor announced Sunday afternoon.
The city is currently at "a good distance" from fire 334 and 379, Mayor Manon Cyr said in a video posted on the municipality's Facebook page.
"Trigger lines" have been established in collaboration with Quebec's forest fire prevention agency, Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU). Should the fires reach these locations more than 10 kilometers from Chibougamau, the town of 7,300 inhabitants would have seven to 10 hours to evacuate. For now, the fires are a long way off.
We know that the people at SOPFEU are doing everything they can to do the work they have to do, but the smoke and weather conditions aren't helping at the moment," said Cyr.
"We're lucky, the winds aren't as strong as we thought they'd be."
Rain is expected in the next few days, but the municipality's air quality remains a concern. The mayor reiterated the importance of closing home windows and shutting off air exchangers.
"Can we sleep easy? Yes, but let's remain vigilant, let's remain cautious", said the mayor, noting that she'll believe the rain is coming only when she sees it.
All Chibougamau residents were forced to evacuate on the evening of June 6, before being able to return to their homes almost a week later, on June 12. The population was invited to head for Roberval, some three hours away by car.
Chibougamau wasn't the first Quebec town to face a second evacuation. In Lebel-sur-Quévillon, in the James Bay region, another complete evacuation happened Thursday evening and was still in effect on Sunday morning.
In both cases, the return of the rain is eagerly awaited.
The 344 fire that is threatening Lebel-sur-Quévillon was stable on Sunday morning, said municipal councillor Denis Lemoyne, in a video posted on the municipality's Facebook page.
"For fires 256 and 314, which are further north, the fires have progressed a little to the south. Air support has been requested, and ground crews with machinery are on the ground," said Lemoyne. He also asked the public to come and lend a hand at the Val-d'Or shelter, where there is currently a shortage of volunteers.
Households forced to evacuate a second time are entitled to claim a further $1,500 in compensation from the Quebec government.
SOPFEU's air tankers and helicopters were grounded on Sunday, as heavy smoke reduced their visibility. The Radisson sector in Northern Quebec was the only one where aerial operations could be carried out on Sunday morning.
"It's been a few days now that the smoke has made our air operations more difficult. That doesn't mean we can't do a few missions every day, but for the moment, our ability to fly is very limited because of the smoke," said Stéphane Caron, prevention and communications coordinator at SOPFEU.
The rain forecast for the next few days could help contain some of the fires, and allow crews to resume their aerial work. Several factors explain the large amount of smoke currently being generated by the fires.
"The last week we've been through has been very difficult. There hasn't been any rain for over a week, temperatures are very high, and relative humidities are low. This generates a lot of activity on the blazes", said Caron. The large surface area of the fires is also a factor.
Across the province, 81 fires were still active on Sunday morning, in addition to 33 others in northern zones, according to data provided by SOPFEU on its website.
On Sunday, SOPFEU said it was fighting 43 priority fires. Of the active fires in the province, 25 are not under control.
The Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions are still those of greatest concern to the authorities, according to an update published Sunday morning on the Ministry of Public Safety's website.
Flammability indices still ranged from "very high" to "extreme" in several regions of Quebec on Sunday morning, Public Safety also reported. In addition to Lebel-sur-Quévillon, evacuations are also underway in parts of Senneterre and Val-d'Or, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as Mistissini and Valcanton, in Northern Quebec. More tha 430 vulnerable people in the Mauricie community of Obedjiwan were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The situation was stable on Sunday in Senneterre, and no new evacuations were announced. However, Mayor Nathalie Ann Pelchat urged the population to be cautious on the roads, as accidents involving animals have been reported in the region.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 25, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.