Extreme fire risk in Montreal means 'any little spark' poses threat, Quebec fire agency warns

CBC

2 days ago

The greater Montreal area, including parts of the Montérégie, the Laurentians and the Lanaudière regions, are currently designated as extreme fire danger zones, according to SOPFEU.
During wildfire season, the non-profit organization — responsible for wildfire prevention and suppression in Quebec — publishes a daily fire index, assessing wildfire risk.
The index has five levels, ranging from low, to moderate, then high, very high and extreme.
"So whenever we have a very high or extreme fire danger rating, we recommend that people abstain from the use of fires that may cause wildfires," said Mélanie Morin, a fire information officer with SOPFEU.
"Right now, any little spark that could spread to the forest may cause a wildfire," she said.
She recommends people find out what local rules are in place in their municipality in terms of fire prevention.
In Montreal, open air fires, bonfires, outdoor fireplaces, garden fires, pyres and fireworks that use pyrotechnics aren't allowed, regardless of the fire risk, unless you've obtained prior authorization.
While several Montreal boroughs and on-island suburbs, including île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Senneville and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue have put in place watering bans in a bid to maintain the quality of drinking water, the town of Rigaud, roughly 70 kilometres west of Montreal in the Montérégie, cited fire safety as a main concern.
On its website, the town is urging residents to respect a ban on watering lawns to "protect our water reserves for firefighters in the event of a fire."
The town says lake, river and groundwater levels are low and the forest on Mont Rigaud is "particularly vulnerable."
It also pointed to advice by SOPFEU, which warns against driving motorized vehicles through brush as hot engine parts can ignite dry grass.
As of Tuesday, there were at least 10 active wildfires burning in Quebec.
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The sweltering heat of recent days, combined with a lack of precipitation, are what's driving up the fire danger and fire activity, Morin said.
"Luckily, we're in August. So while we're experiencing this a bit higher activity and these higher fire danger ratings, we're at a time of year where we usually don't have very large fires in Quebec."
She explained that because trees are at full maturity with lots of green foliage, humidity in the air tends to increase, allowing to "keep fires quite small."
But that doesn't mean people should drop their guard. SOPFEU's fire index is meant not only to assess wildfire risk, but also guide behaviour.