Quebec wildfires: more evacuations ordered in northwestern Quebec
MONTREAL — Officials in northwest Quebec have ordered residents of two villages near the Ontario border to leave their homes as a wildfire continues to spread in the area.
Residents of the villages of Val-Paradis and Beaucanton, home to about 340 people, were given an hour and a half on Friday evening to evacuate because of the approaching fire in the area.
Officials said earlier in the day the fire was located about 12 kilometers from Val-Paradis, but poor visibility and high winds made water bomber operations impossible.
In the past two days, more than 6,000 people were ordered to leave their homes in northwestern Quebec due to heavy smoke from the fires.
The province’s fire department is asking Quebec residents not to set off fireworks or light bonfires today as part of their celebration of the provincial Fête Nationale.
Outdoor fires are banned in much of Quebec, with the exception of some regions south of the St. Lawrence River and the island cities of Montreal and Laval.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 24, 2023.
