Quebec firefighters struggling to control wildfires in northern, western regions

Armed forces to help with Que. wildfires The fires are still raging in northern Quebec and the Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to help with evacuations.

Officials say firefighters are still struggling to control wildfires in two Quebec regions as the situation has improved in the rest of the province.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were over 100 active fires in the southern half of the province and another 20 in the far north. The province's forest fire prevention agency -- SOPFEU -- classified 26 of the southern fires as out of control.

SOPFEU official Sylvain Tremblay told a press conference that rainfall hasn't been sufficient to halt the progression of fires in the northern and western parts of the province.

Fire officials are concerned about the behaviour of wildfires in those two regions as firefighters try to maintain what progress they have made.

Tremblay doesn't anticipate help from the weather in the next few days.

"The forecasts are bad," he said Thursday. "For the three days ahead, we don't expect any rain in these areas. So, if we don't have rain there and the fair weather is coming back in a few days, it could be a problematic situation."

Just one municipality in the northern region, Lebel-sur-Quevillon, was still subject to an evacuation order Thursday. Quebec's public security ministry reported 1,957 evacuees had not returned home as of noon.

Elsewhere, Tremblay said, rain has helped stop the growth of fires, at least temporarily.

Meanwhile, Quebec civil security official Jean Savard urged residents in areas where smoke has affected air quality to follow public health advice and avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2023.

---

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.