Rain helps firefighters battle flames in QC

[five_alarm]

MONTREAL, QC - Efforts to combat 125 forest fires burning across Quebec intensified Monday. Mother Nature pitched in as well, sending rain to some of the worst-hit areas. Seven of the fires are currently out of control.

The area between Matagami and Chibougamau, north of the Gouin reservoir is in the most danger, along with the town of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, on the border of the Abitibi region. Flames are only 14 km from the town and any change in wind direction could lead the town to evacuate.

Over 900 firefighters are battling the fires, along with 360 from British Colombia and 100 from Maine. At least 96 are expected to arrive from Alberta Monday.

Source: Montreal Gazette (http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=34e7a780-9775-407d-90e8-c617fa48c354)

Daily Hotspots: cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca (http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/en/current/cc_m32_e.php)
National Report : nrcan-rncan.gc.ca (http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/cfs-scf/science/prodserv/firereport/firereport_e.php)

[five_alarm]

MONTREAL, QC - Quebec is experiencing its worst forest-fire season since 1932, with 1,000 firefighters facing dry conditions and a tenacious heat wave that had more than 130 fires blazing throughout the province over the weekend.

"The year 2005 will go down as one of the worst years on record, perhaps the third worst year since we began keeping records in 1922," said Robert Lemay, a spokesman for Quebec's forest-fire protection agency. "The fires have burned close to 400,000 hectares. That's an area of about 4,000 square kilometres. And with 16 fires still out of control, we can expect an even larger area to be engulfed in flames."

Close to half of the firefighters are from British Columbia and the United States. B.C. has sent more than 260 firefighters and specialists to help bring the fires under control and about another 200 reinforcements from Parks Canada and the Eastern United States have arrived in recent days. Another 100 firefighters from British Columbia could arrive soon if weather conditions deteriorate.

Source: theglobeandmail.com (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050718/FIRES18/TPNational/Canada)

Daily Hotspots: cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca (http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/en/current/cc_m32_e.php)
National Report : nrcan-rncan.gc.ca (http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/cfs-scf/science/prodserv/firereport/firereport_e.php)

[five_alarm]

MONTREAL, QC - Quebec is fighting 138 forest fires in the northwest, including 17 which are out of control, the government's SOPFEU agency says. More than 100 square kilometres are on fire, and the situation could worsen because of intense heat and winds which may spread the flames.

Fire-fighting is difficult because of the number and extent of the fires, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu SOPFEU said.

The fires extend in an immense triangle from the centre to the northwest of the province, with Val d'Or, Matagami and Chibougamau at the points. Authoritities are especially worried about one fire burning just a few kilometers from Lebel-sur-Quévillon. Hydro-Québec has decided to evacuate 2,000 workers from the site of its Eastmain project near James Bay.

Source: montreal.cbc.ca (http://montreal.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=qc-fires20050718)

Daily Hotspots: cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca (http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/en/current/cc_m32_e.php)
National Report : nrcan-rncan.gc.ca (http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/cfs-scf/science/prodserv/firereport/firereport_e.php)

[Punctualdeer]

Your wright about the worst fire in Quebec. There his a thing i am worring: my hunting camp his at 47 kilometers east side from Lebel-sur-Quevillon and i am going there in 3 weeks for fishing and checking my moose spot.