At noon on Monday, the Quebec government will expand the territory affected by the ban on access to forests on Crown land and forest roads that was last updated on Wednesday, June 14.
The areas affected by this measure are mainly located in the Nord-du-Québec, Jamésie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue regions, but also in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Mauricie, Haute-Côte-Nord and Outaouais.
The decision was taken in view of the light rainfall received over the past few days and the little precipitation forecast for early in the week. According to the authorities, the flammability indices for several regions of Quebec could rise from very high to extreme over the next few days.
On Monday morning, for example, Environment Canada forecast no rain for the whole week in Chibougamau, one of the communities threatened by forest fires. Sunny, dry weather will prevail until at least next Sunday, according to the federal agency.
The Quebec forest fire protection society (SOPFEU) expects all of Quebec's softwood forests to be affected by this drought.
In the meantime, bans on open fires in or near forests and restrictions on forest work are still in force in some areas of Quebec.
The extension of the bans was decreed by the Quebec natural resources ministry (MRNF), public security ministry (MSP) and SOPFEU.
⚠️ MODIFICATION DU TERRITOIRE - Interdiction d’accès en forêt sur les terres du domaine de l’état et la fermeture de chemins pic.twitter.com/1qQrwRsQzC
— Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts (@mrnfqc) June 18, 2023
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 19, 2023.