Montreal fire danger level could hit ‘extreme’ this weekend: SOPFEU

As the month of August continues to bring dry weather for Southern Quebec, farmers are feeling the heat.

The Greater Montreal area is expected to be back under an extreme fire danger rating by Saturday, according to Quebec’s wildfire protection agency.

Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) fire information officer Mélanie Morin says a prolonged lack of rain has dried out vegetation across southern Quebec.

“Many gardens and lawns are dry, and that has been reflected in the fire danger rating as well as the fire activity that we’ve had,” she said.

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Although patchy rainfall on Wednesday lowered Montreal’s fire danger to “moderate,” Morin warns that relief should be short-lived.

“We’re back down to moderate fire danger, but that is usually only a short-term relief,” she said. “By Saturday, extreme for the Montreal area and very high for the Laurentians.”

When conditions reach an extreme level, even a small ember can start a blaze, she warned.

“Once we get up into high, very high, extreme fire danger… the slightest spark could cause a wildfire,” Morin said.

SOPFEU is urging residents to check local regulations before lighting fires, as they vary by municipality.

In Montreal, open-air fires, bonfires, outdoor fireplaces and fireworks are always prohibited without prior authorization, regardless of the fire danger level.

Morin says most of the recent fires in southern Quebec have been linked to human activity in areas where there’s a lot of tourism, recreation, and cottages.

“People who are out and about using fire near the woods,” she said.

For property owners in or near forested areas, Morin recommends using spark-arrestor fire pits, keeping vegetation around homes green and cleaned up where possible, and always extinguishing fires before bed.

“Make sure you put your fire out before you go to bed, and if you’re in a fire danger area that’s very high to extreme, avoid the use of fireworks,” she said.

• More tips to protect your home here.

Morin says even though most wildfires typically occur in May and June across Quebec, drought conditions can increase the risk.

“We see it every few years, where a situation will build up, and then it’ll take a change in weather — lots of rain, cooler temperatures,” to bring the risk back down, she said.

Currently, there are no wildfires burning near Montreal.

The closest active blazes are near Mont-Tremblant, where two small fires are under control.