Not enough rain to douse northern Quebec wildfires, temperatures expected to rise
CTV
A northwestern Quebec municipality with an intense wildfire on its doorstep did not get the rain it had hoped for this week, preventing a shift in the fight that could allow residents to return, officials said Wednesday. SOPFEU said wildfires near Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Que., continue to threaten the community 620 kilometres northwest of Montreal.
A northwestern Quebec municipality with an intense wildfire on its doorstep did not get the rain it had hoped for this week, preventing a shift in the fight that could allow residents to return, officials said Wednesday.
The province's forest fire prevention agency, known by its French acronym SOPFEU, said wildfires near Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Que., continue to threaten the community 620 kilometres northwest of Montreal.
Less than one millimetre of rain fell Tuesday around the town, which has been evacuated since June 2. Its mayor asked residents Wednesday to pray for rain.
"Sadly for us yesterday, we didn't receive a lot precipitation," Mayor Guy Lafrenière said. "Today, it's a nice sunny day with no clouds. We've been praying for rain, but it's taking a bit of time."
Quebec officials said rainfall over the previous 24 hours in the northern part of the province was insufficient to douse wildfires near Lebel-sur-Quévillon and Chibougamau, where residents were allowed to return Monday.
"The rain is our best ally to get the upper hand," Sylvain Tremblay told a technical briefing on Wednesday. "It would take a good 20 to 25 millimetres of rain over a few days, which would allow us to put out some parts of the fire for good and leaving just hot spots."
Around Lebel-sur-Quévillon, between 300,000 and 350,000 hectares are currently on fire, including one large fire that covers 200,000 hectares. The Nordic Kraft pulp mill near the community is also under threat.
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