Forest Fires in Quebec Continue to Blaze

For the last several days, the forest fires in Quebec, Canada, have been spreading. They have spread to encompass over 65,000 hectares of forest in the northern and central regions of Quebec. Over 1,000 firefighters from all over Canada and even Maine and New Hampshire have been coordinating efforts to get the blazes under control. It has been reported by SOPFEU, Quebec's fire protection agency, that more than 50 fires continue to blaze with more than a dozen of them considered as burning out of control.

Despite the assistance of over 50 helicopters and 14 water bombers, crews are finding it a daunting task to get the fires under control. Battling unpredictable winds, a heat wave in the region and sporadic lightning from thunderstorms, the fear is that the blazes will continue to spread to other regions of Quebec burning thousands more acres of forest. Over 2,300 aboriginal people in the region have been evacuated to arena in safe areas until the fires are under control and the smoke has cleared.

Very little damage caused by the Quebec forest fires has been reported as yet and have been limited to a shed and a cottage. Not only is there the question of how many more fires will flare up and just how long it will take firefighting crews to get them under control, but officials are now asking questions about the collateral effects of the smoke in neighboring regions. With winds recently shifting to the south and east, the question is beginning to be answered.

Sunday, winds carried the smoke from the Quebec forest fires south and east into the New England region of the U.S. Fire stations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont received a high volume of calls from residents waking up to the smell of smoke that morning. Residents were advised to limit their outdoor activities until winds carried the smoke out of the region. Residents with respiratory health problems and allergies to smoke were advised to take special care by remaining in their homes as much as possible.

On Monday afternoon, residents as far south as the Boston area were affected by the smoke of the Canadian wildfires. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality alert for eight counties in Massachusetts earlier that day. Again, residents with compromised respiratory health and those with allergies to smoke were advised to limit their outdoor activity until the smoke is blown out to the sea.

As the winds shift, others will surely be affected by the forest fires in Quebec, Canada. Officials anticipate a slight relief with light rain in the forecast, but there is still much that needs to be brought under control. SOPFEU has fought 128 fires so far in the past week and 52 fires continue to blaze ranging in size from 1 to 40,000 hectares. As yet, Quebec has suffered the loss of over 900 square kilometers of forest consumed by the fire. One can only hope that weather patterns become favorable to firefighting crews to aid them in controlling these fires sooner than later.

SOURCES

Marianne White, "Quebec forest fires spread."

Stefanie Geisler, "Smoke from Quebec forest fires moves into region."

Jennifer Pagliaro, "Something in the air."