(Montreal) The return of the rain, after several days of good weather, allows the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to lift the ban on open fires in and near forests in certain regions, as of 8 h Saturday.
The decision to modify the territory affected by this ban was taken in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU) due to the precipitation received in the west and south of the province.
On Tuesday, the ministry imposed the ban in a dozen affected or partially affected regions to prevent wildfires from breaking out amid hot weather that posed an “extreme” fire risk.
The ban is maintained for the affected sectors of Nord-du-Québec, Côte-Nord, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie.
In the sectors concerned, it is therefore still prohibited to light an open fire – which is defined as “any fire burning freely or which could spread freely” – in a forest or near a forest, under penalty of ‘a fine of between $500 and $50,000.
Campfires, fireworks and the use of instruments that can produce sparks are prohibited. Fires lit in installations provided for this purpose, which are equipped with spark arresters, are still permitted.
According to the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU), a lightning front that occurred on Wednesday afternoon ignited new fires in the Côte-Nord and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean regions.
As of Saturday morning, 15 forest fires were active in Quebec, particularly in the Haute-Côte-Nord. Most of them were under control or contained.
Since the start of the season, 173 wildfires have destroyed 1,730 hectares. The average for the last ten years at the same date is 229 fires.