Fire risks high in Quebec as hot, dry weather intensifies

Quebec is expected to see high temperatures this week, which will make the next few days critical for forest fire prevention, says SOPFEU, the province's forest fire prevention agency.

SOPFEU is warning people to be careful and to avoid lighting outdoor fires until at least Thursday.

"When SOPFEU calls for caution, it not only meansfires will be easier to light in the coming days, but theycould spread widely and with intensity," said SOPFEU spokesperson Stphane Caron.

The agencyis asking people to put out their campfires properly and to be careful if smoking in the forest. SOPFEU also recommends not burning waste or residual materials.

"Even with the use of all-terrain vehicles, people are going to be asked to stay on marked trails and not travel off-road. Trails with dry brush could easily be flammable because hot engine parts, like the exhaust, can ignite it," said Caron.

Since mid-April, SOPFEU recorded 152 fires in Quebec, affecting 142.5 hectares of forest. An upward trend in the number of forest fires in the province has also been observed.

"For thirty years, there was a decrease in the number of fires, which is quite significant," Caron said.

"We don't know if it's something that will take hold, especially with climate change, but we've seen a new upward trend over the past five or six years."

On average, the organization lists 179 fires at this time of year.