Commonwealth _Canada _ According to Premier François Legault, residents who were forced to abandon their homes because of fires in Quebec’s northern and western regions won’t be able to return until next week. Legault said dry weather and high winds are causing hazardous conditions and thick smoke in regions that have already been evacuated at a press conference on Wednesday morning in Quebec City.Communities like Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Senneterre, Lac Simon Anishnabe Nation, Barriere Lake, Normétal, and Kitcisakik in the Abitibi area have had forced evictions of residents.
Emigrations have occurred further west and north in places like Manawan, Chibougamau, and Oujé-Bougoumou. People in Waswanipi and Mistissini are getting ready to leave the region. Legault said that his administration is looking into ways to assist people with evacuation-related costs.
Early this week, the North Shore was a major source of anxiety; however, Legault claimed that things are now under control and that inhabitants of Sept-Îles may return home.The flames are no longer a danger to a crucial piece of Hydro-Québec equipment close to Baie-Comeau.
Nevertheless, the premier cautioned, things might still change swiftly and fresh evacuation orders might be sent.Armed troops and out-of-province firefighters have been deployed to Quebec to assist in containing the flames, but local fire officials have stated that they currently only have the capacity to put out roughly 40 fires at once.
As of now, 460,000 hectares of land have burnt, exceeding the 350,000-acre total from 1991, according to Maté Blanchette Vézina, the minister of forestry. Legault reported that, excluding the operators of the waterbombing aircraft, there are presently 670 workers battling the fires on the ground.Out of a total of 13, Quebec has 11 operational aircraft, and Yellowknife is sending the province two of its planes, while Nova Scotia provided four. Legault announced that further reinforcements from New Brunswick, France, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and the United States are on the way. According to Legault, 1,200 personnel would be on the ground putting out flames if all goes according to plan.
