Section of Route 113 closed as wildfires continue in northern Quebec

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.

A 50-kilometer stretch of Route 113 was closed to traffic on Tuesday evening between Senneterre and Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Que. for an indefinite period due to nearby wildfires.

The Transport Ministry said flames were raging near the roadway.

Route 113 is 366 km long, stretching from the Val-d'Or region to Chibougamau.

Despite the road closure, Lebel-sur-Quévillon mayor Guy Lafrenière assured residents Tuesday evening that they were safe.

In a Facebook post, he nevertheless urged residents to close their windows and wear an N95 mask if they had to go outside.

Lafrenière also stressed that citizens should be prepared to evacuate for a second time. He noted that smoke conditions were intense, with fires burning north and south of the municipality.

Environment Canada is not forecasting rain for several more days in the region.

Lebel-sur-Quévillon, with a population of just over 2,000, is the site of a major pulp mill, Nordic Kraft.

The mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon is scheduled to provide a further update at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Quebec's Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, is also scheduled to provide an update on the forest fires on Wednesday morning, along with the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Maïté Blanchette Vézina.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 21, 2023.