Northern Quebec communities of Chibougamau and Oujé-Bougoumou evacuated
CBC
The municipality of Chibougamau in northern Quebec is the latest to issue an evacuation order due to forest fires. The move came just over an hour after the neighbouring Cree Nation of Oujé-Bougoumou began its evacuation Tuesday evening.
Peter Halliday is one of the residents who had to pack his stuff and leave his home at a moment's notice.
"Around 9 p.m. we were told 'You got to get out, you got to get out, you got to get out!" he said.
"We spent about an hour getting our stuff together and then hit the road with everybody else."
Chibougamou mayor, Manon Cyr, issued the notice on Facebook Tuesday evening around 8:15 p.m. directing 7,300 residents toward the arena at the municipality of Roberval, a three-hour's drive away. Buses were provided for those without cars.
"Right now we have some time, that's why we decided to evacuate immediately," Cyr said Tuesday.
There were 700 beds set up at the Benoît-Lévesque sports centre in Roberval. Cyr asked that residents who have family and friends in the area stay with them if possible and share their contact information.
Municipal councillor Jonathan Mattson said the drive from Chibougamau to Roberval took him eight hours because of traffic.
But Cyr says the evacuation went as smoothly as it could.
"People were able to bring their cats, dogs, and everything was settled the best we could," she said.
As of Wednesday morning 80 per cent of Chibougamau's population left, and there are still beds available at the sports centre in Roberval, Cyr told Quebec AM's Julia Caron.
The mayor of Roberval, Serge Bergeron, said that as of Tuesday night they were expecting between 700 and 1,000 people.
"Even the mayors of nearby municipalities have been calling me saying if you have any needs, we can open our arena or rooms," he said.
"People are not happy to leave their homes but they understand it's for their safety," said Cyr. "We are not the only people in Quebec or Canada to who this is happening right now."