6 days ago
Quebec wildfires small and under control, SOPFEU says
There are currently 12 active wildfires in Quebec, but according to the province's forest fire-fighting agency, they are all considered relatively small and under control.
Malanie Morin, a fire information officer with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), said the fires are in line with what is expected in August in the province.
'There are a variety of causes for the wildfires we are experiencing. Several are human caused. Also, a few that are lightening. We have had different cell systems come through the last few days and we have seen the effects of those combined with the high fire danger rating,' Morin said.
The wildfires range between 0.4 and 11 hectares.
'It's really been a day-by-day situation because as mentioned we have had a lot of storms systems come through and every time the amount of rain that we get is uncertain. Again, we are supposed to get rain in the next 24 to 48 hours which may bring down fire danger for a day or two.'
However, she said that if a dry and hot system sets in again, the fire danger rating will once again climb.
'Right now, we are hoping that we get the precipitation that we are supposed to get over the next day or two.'
The information officer added that although SOPFEU had sent firefighters out west to help with the situation there, the province had the necessary number of crews, including fire bombers, to respond to the wildfires in Quebec.
'We do have the water bombers that are in strategic different areas to be able to intervene, and we have seen them intervene over the last few days. We had two water bombers on a fire in southern Quebec on Saturday. We had water bombers again yesterday on a fire in the Tremblant area,' said Morin.
