The hot and dry weather expected on Saturday could lead to record heat in some regions of Quebec in addition to favoring the outbreak of forest fires. Open fires have also been banned in or near the forest since Tuesday morning in almost all inhabited areas of the province.
Environment Canada predicts temperatures will continue to rise across Quebec through Saturday, reaching more than 30 degrees in areas.
Across Quebec, hot and very dry weather is expected in the next few days. […] There may be some cloudy weather, especially in the more northern and northwestern parts of the province, but in general, the sun dominates, and the weather is very dry. said André Cantin, meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The regions located in the extreme south of Quebec (Montérégie, Montreal, Laurentians) and those in the west (Outaouais and Abitibi-Témiscamingue) will experience the hottest days. Saturday, mercury should reach 32 degrees in Maniwaki, 31 degrees in Val-d’Or and 30 degrees in Montreal.
Possible records
From Thursday to Saturday, we can set new temperature records in almost all of Quebec. , refers to André Cantin. He added that hot and dry weather increases the risk of forest fires.
” We have a relative humidity level in the middle of the day which almost does not reach 10, 15%. It is very low and it allows a significant dryness at ground level. “
To take into account climate change in some sectors of the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Capitale-Nationale, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Mauricie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue regions, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks the territory affected by the ban on open fire.
The decision was taken in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU). The expanded no-go zone took effect at 8 am Tuesday.
Higher risk in the spring
The Prevention and Communications Coordinator for SOPFEUStéphane Caron, noted that contrary to popular belief, it is in the spring, and not in the summer, that the risk of forest fires is highest in Quebec.
Lots of dead plants. We have dead leaves on the ground, we have a dry brush [et] the plants have not yet appeared […] So all it takes is a little sun, a little air to dry quickly and become very flammable.he explained in an interview with Radio-Canada.
Some particular regions located in the south and where there are larger populations, such as Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudière and Montérégie, are considered more at risk.
Since the beginning of the protection period, the SOPFEU lists 138 forest fires, 12 of which are still ongoing, affecting a total area of 114.2 hectares. The ten -year average at this point in the season is 102 fires covering 82.4 acres.
Wrongly killed cigarette butt
Stéphane Caron recalls that 75% of plant fires in Quebec are caused by humans. Just cigarette butts thrown out of car windows are responsible for an average of 80 fires per year.
” We can handle this situation by adapting our behavior. “
All-terrain vehicles, whose engines have reached very high temperatures, can also start a fire when traveling through the dry brush.
This is without taking into account the poor extinguishing of uncared for camp fires and fires that burn garbage or clean up the ground. Every year, 75 forest fires are caused by poorly controlled fires.
The neighborhoods evacuated
This is a very dangerous activityby Stéphane Caron. We saw the whole neighborhood evacuated because there was a burn that had worsened somewhere.
Temperatures should have been less favorable for the outbreak of forest fires on Sunday, with Environment Canada weather forecasts citing the possibility of rain in most regions of Quebec.
Source: Radio-Canada