Forest fire restrictions now in effect around Matagami in northern Quebec
The Ministry of Public Security has banned forest access and traffic around fire 284, located 85 km northwest of Matagami, as Quebec battles 195 active fires after a severe June.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Forest restrictions have been imposed in northern Quebec due to the risk of forest fires. Since Friday afternoon, the Ministry of Public Security has banned traffic and access to forest territory around fire 284, located about 85 km northwest of Matagami in Eeyou Istchee James Bay.
The decision was made in collaboration with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) and the government's civil security coordination structure. Anyone who does not comply with the order is liable to a fine plus costs.
Currently, 195 fires are active in Quebec, including 13 in the intensive protection zone. Many of these fires burn deep in the ground, making them longer to extinguish. Firefighters from other provinces have been called in: 63 from British Columbia arrived Friday, while 21 from New Brunswick and 17 from Prince Edward Island arrived Saturday.
June was exceptionally severe. During the last week of June, more than 100 forest fires broke out following repeated storms. In total, 219 fires were recorded in June across the province, burning 158,434.6 hectares of forest. The regions of Nord-du-Québec and Côte-Nord were hardest hit, marked by abnormally high temperatures and conditions that dried forest fuels and made fires more likely. In the intensive protection zone alone, 41 percent of the 74 fires were caused by lightning.
