Quebec has recently lifted the ban on open fires in or near its forests, bringing relief to residents and outdoor enthusiasts across the province. The announcement was made on Monday by Quebec’s Domestic Security Ministry, signaling the end of the ban that had been in place since July 13.
The decision to lift the ban was a result of collaboration between the Domestic Security Ministry and the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU). SOPFEU cited its interventions to combat fires and the prevailing and upcoming weather conditions as factors leading to the decision.
As per the latest update from the Domestic Security Ministry, Quebec is currently dealing with 10 active forest fires in the “intensive protection zone” and 136 active fires in the “northern zone.” Since the beginning of the fire protection season, a total of 336 fires have affected 124,417.9 hectares of forest in the Intensive Protection Zone, and 278 fires have impacted 600,178.3 hectares in the Northern Zone.
