Quebec sends firefighters as reinforcements to assist in battling burning forest wildfires in Western Canada in Manitoba and Alberta reports Montreal’s The Gazette, although rain has provided some relief to those contending with blazes in the region.
On Sunday, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) announced that it has dispatched 21 personnel to Manitoba, including 20 firefighters, with an additional information officer being sent to Alberta.
“The current situation in Quebec and SOPFEU’s operational capabilities allow us to provide resources to our colleagues in other provinces without compromising our ability to respond effectively within Quebec,” the organization stated in a news release.
A massive fire of 37,000 hectares continues to burn near the northern city of Flin Flon, Manitoba, close to the Saskatchewan border, approximately 630 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg, forcing evacuation of residents.
According to the Manitoba government, the out-of-control fire spans approximately 37,000 hectares as of Friday. However, due to rain and the efforts of firefighting crews, the fire line near communities has been brought under control, allowing evacuees to return home on Sunday morning.
In Quebec, SOPFEU’s teams have responded to 96 fires that have scorched 105.5 hectares of forest since the beginning of the season, based on the latest data.
Quebec participates in a national mutual aid agreement for combating forest fires.
As per the last report, there were 115 active fires across the country, with 26 of them classified as out of control. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) reported a total of 1120 wildfires so far this year across Canada.