SOPFEU reports four times fewer fires than average

SOPFEU reports four times fewer fires than average

After a particularly active start to the season in Quebec, the situation completely reversed over the past month. In August, SOPFEU recorded only 14 fires affecting 0.6 hectares (ha) of forest in intensive protection zones (IPZs), four times fewer than the average of the last ten years. The average for the same period was 59 fires and 60 ha burned.

The frequent passage of low-pressure systems brought numerous thunderstorms and generated 88,110 lightning strikes, nearly twice the average recorded in August. However, the regular rainfall prevented the vegetation from drying out sufficiently to promote the spread of fires. Thus, despite significant thunderstorm activity, lightning caused only three fires during the month.

Human activity, meanwhile, remains the cause of 79% of the fires recorded in August. Campfires were the leading cause, accounting for 21% of the month’s fires. Other contributing factors included burning debris (7%), cigarettes (7%), electrical wires (7%), and forestry machinery (7%).

The 14 fires that occurred in August were relatively evenly distributed, both geographically, across the province, and temporally, throughout the month.

The significant decrease in fire activity in Quebec allowed SOPFEU, in collaboration with the Quebec government, to provide assistance to other provinces in need.

During August, 200 forest firefighters were deployed to British Columbia on four separate missions. Four water bombers from the Government Air Service (GAS) and their crews, along with 3,500 hoses, were also loaned to the province.

In addition, several specialized resources were also mobilized outside Quebec. Four specialists were deployed to British Columbia, while two others assisted teams in Ontario.

Although the summer season is drawing to a close, SOPFEU reminds the public that the forest fire season is not over. With the start of hunting season and the closure of cottages, the risk of human-caused fires remains high. Improperly extinguished campfires, cigarette butts, and the use of all-terrain vehicles can all cause a fire. The organization therefore encourages the public to consult the Fire Danger Index on its website or via its mobile app before engaging in recreational activities in the forest.