With a dozen tanker planes and only a few hundred personnel, the Quebec strike force can cover 40 forest fires at once while 150 are raging, admits François Legault, who expects the number of evacuees to continue to rise.
• Also read: Forest fires: Mandatory evacuations in Chibugamao
• Also read: A broad movement of solidarity with the evacuees from Chibogamaw
• Also read: The smoke makes Quebec municipalities look horrific
The day after 7,500 Chibogamau residents were evacuated to Roberval and Chicoutimi, the prime minister took stock of the wildfires, as he has done every day since Monday.
Right now, 11 of SOPFEU’s 13 air carriers are battling wildfires, Mr. Legault reported. The Prime Minister asked in front of the cameras during his media meeting with the authorities about the staff available to operate the fleet of air carriers, which has become obsolete. Given the mandatory rest hours, the lack of pilots could potentially cause trouble in a week’s time, Mr. Legault noted. Same for the mechanics.
Not all SOPFEUs can be used at the same time, as regulatory checks must be performed every 50 hours.
“We are adding resources,” confirmed Mr. Legault later. In addition to the Quebec plane, there are now two Yellowknife (Buffalo Airways) tankers and four American planes, which were initially under contract with Nova Scotia, before being transferred to Quebec.
“Newfoundland loaned us two planes, but there are fires inside, so unfortunately they had to return to Newfoundland,” said the Prime Minister.
And spread on the ground about 520 employees in addition to 150 soldiers. With the reinforcements coming in from abroad (New Brunswick, France, the US, Portugal, Spain, Mexico) over the next few days, “we hope to be able to increase that to 1,200 people,” said Ms. Lego.
message to the hesitant
Together with the Minister of Public Security, François Bonardelle, and the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maite Blanchett-Vezina, Mr. Legault was pleased with the smooth implementation of the evacuation process that began in Chibugamao on Tuesday night. Barely “a hundred rebels” were slow to honor evacuation instructions, according to Minister Bonardell.
The Prime Minister commented, “There are always a few people who resist.” I understand leaving your home is scary, but you need to think about your safety first. So I say to all Quebecers: don’t put their lives in danger. When you are asked to evacuate, there is real danger.
The Prime Minister praised the mutual assistance shown by the people of the region. “I was really touched last night. On social media, we saw messages from people offering evacuees to come and live with them,” said Mr. Legault. There is still extraordinary solidarity among Quebecers.
The Minister responsible for Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Andrée Laforest, confirmed in the National Assembly that the people of her region are ready to receive more evacuees, if necessary.
A financial aid program will soon be offered to evacuees inspired by the one established at Lac-Mégantic. “Our aim is to cover all the extraordinary expenses you have incurred,” summed up Mr. Legault.
Upon his arrival at the Operations Center of the Public Security Government of Quebec, Mr. Legault indicated that the commune of Saint-Félicien was preparing to receive the citizens of Chapais, in case they had to be evacuated again.
But as of this writing, the evacuation order had not yet been issued by Mayor Isabelle Lessard. Those who leave voluntarily are welcome to post identification form at their door before leaving.
Mysticene refuses to evacuate
So far, nearly 11,400 people have had to evacuate due to the 150 wildfires raging mainly in Abitibi, Nord-de-Quebec, Maurice and Saguenay-lac-Saint-Jean.
But the number of evacuees could quickly rise to 16,000, Mr Legault warned, announcing 4,000 members of the Cree village commune in Mysticene.And in Nord-du-Québec, for evacuation.
We demand the evacuation of Mtestini. […] “We will take the time to do it right, but there is a risk, so it is important that there is cooperation from everyone,” the Prime Minister said.
However, that collaboration seemed far from certain, on Wednesday afternoon. “Legault doesn’t lead our community,” Chef Michael Pituapano recalled, in a Facebook Live broadcast.
He stressed that “there is no danger, we are safe,” and called on his community members to “not succumb to panic,” and to await his instructions.
Other evacuation orders have been issued in Senneterre, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as in Lebel-sur-Quévillon (2,000 people), where fuel oil tanks at the Nordic Kraft pulp plant are of concern.
“The good news is that the situation has improved and is under control on the North Shore. Almost everyone on Sept-Ile has returned home,” said Mr. Legault.
Opposition parties say action is needed
During opposition parties’ press briefings, Wednesday morning, Quebec Solidere’s parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau Dubois called on the government to “double up the ado” in terms of adapting to climate change.
“Spring 2023 should be a turning point,” he said.
In turn, the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, demanded a “formal commitment” from the prime minister so that elected officials could discuss solutions that would soon be put forward.
Given the “direct causal link” between the impact of wildfires and climate change, interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay believes it will be necessary to “update all government plans” accordingly.
