Quebec wildfires cause widespread smog warnings, grounds some water bombers

Officials say there are 114 fires burning across the province as of Monday, including 29 considered out of control.

QUEBEC — Smoke continued to billow from wildfires burning across northern Quebec on Monday, grounding water bombers and causing widespread smog warnings farther south.

There were 114 fires burning across the province as of Monday morning, including 29 considered out of control, according to a spokesman for the province’s forest fire prevention agency.

Nicolas Vigneault said the heavy smoke has reduced visibility, making it impossible for some water bombers and helicopters to take off.

“We do as (many) operations as we can in the field with the firefighters, and in the air with the planes and helicopters,” he said. “But our priority is the security of everybody, and the smoke is a challenge right now, and it’s been a challenge over the last two or three days.”

However, he said heavy rain and some wind is expected in the most affected parts of the province in the coming days, which should allow operations to resume “almost normally.”

While no towns are under immediate risk of burning, the fires have forced thousands of Quebecers from their homes. That includes the 2,000 residents of Lebel-sur-Quevillon, parts of Val-d’Or and Senneterre, and some Indigenous communities.

The Cree Nation of Mistissini announced late Saturday that it was asking all remaining community members to evacuate the area due to a fire threatening nearby Route 167.

“The dryness index is 100, the highest that can be recorded, and the intensity of the fire is really high,” read one of a series of posts on the community’s Facebook page.