A ban on open-air fires within or near provincial forests has been imposed as a heat wave ratchets the flammability index even higher.
Citing the high flammability index recorded in the province’s wooded regions and nearly a dozen forest fires, the government of Quebec on Thursday asked the population to avoid or reduce trips into forested areas over the next few days.
The appeal comes from the provincial ministries of public security and natural resources and is based on a recommendation from SOPFEU, Quebec’s forest fire prevention and response agency.
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A ban on open-air fires within or near provincial forests has already been imposed as a heat wave this week ratcheted the flammability index even higher.
SOPFEU notes that the arrival of spring uncovers massive amounts of dead vegetation that, through a combination of wind and sunlight, can dry and become highly flammable.
As of Thursday morning, there were 11 forest fires burning in Quebec, the most active in the Jamésie region in the northwest of the province and in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean.
A fire in Chapais has been deemed out of control and forced the evacuation of local residents to Chibougamau.
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