This late April, parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec are facing significant flooding along with a heightened risk of forest fires.
According to Quebec’s SOPFEU fire prevention organization, the fire danger level in the Outaouais region is either very high or extreme.
An extreme fire risk suggests that all outdoor fires should be avoided due to the potential for uncontrollable and intense blazes. This applies to most areas in the region.
A very high risk, such as that in western Outaouais including Fort-Coulonge, means only specific types of fire pits should be used.
Currently, there are three active fires reported in western Quebec. All of them are under 10 hectares and are deemed controlled.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources has identified high fire risks west of Ottawa and north of Kingston, particularly around Arden west of Westport, while areas like Tweed, Pembroke, Pikwàkanagàn, and Carleton Place have a moderate risk level.
The remainder of eastern Ontario does not appear on the fire risk map at this time. There are no local fires currently listed.
The City of Ottawa along with the National Capital Commission has also imposed restrictions on outdoor burning. Recently, Ottawa Fire Services has released several updates regarding brush fires.
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Fires and floods
The elevated fire risks coincide with significant flooding along the Ottawa River caused by melting snow and rainfall. Other nearby rivers are also overflowing their banks. “We have a layer of dead vegetation on the ground that’s exposed. As soon as the snow melts and we have dry conditions on the ground, it becomes a threat,” said SOPFEU communications and prevention agent Philippe Bergeron on CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning on Tuesday. LISTEN | Bergeron’s full interview: Ottawa Morning7:08Wildfire season has begun western Quebec We hear from Philippe Bergeron with the province’s fire prevention agency, SOPFEU, about the current wildfire risk in western Quebec, and what people can do to prevent fires this summer. All recent wildfires in Quebec have been sparked by human activity according to Bergeron; he noted that typically around 80 percent of forest fires in the province result from human actions. “Be aware of the situation … Avoid doing a fire when it’s windy. Keep your fire really small,” he said. No rain has been recorded at Ottawa International Airport since April 18 after receiving over 60 millimeters during that week. This situation makes upcoming rain both beneficial and problematic. The eastern part of the Ottawa-Gatineau region-communities situated eastward from Belleville through Renfrew to Shawville-are under a special weather statement predicting between 20 to 40 millimeters of rain possible Wednesday evening into Thursday. SOPFEU anticipates a decrease in fire risk by Thursday; however, Gatineau officials mentioned Tuesday morning that they cannot dismiss another peak flood event for the Ottawa River due to rain combined with snowmelt occurring further upstream within its watershed.Source link
