Forest fires: a year ago, part of Chapais was evacuated for three nights | Forest fires in Canada

A year ago, the threat of forest fires forced the evacuation of part of the town of Chapais, in Northern Quebec. The evacuation notice affected 500 residences and 800 people. The work of the police made it possible to target Brian Paré, a 38-year-old man, as being responsible for certain fires.

On May 31, a fire with an area of ​​24 km² approached 11 kilometers from the town of 1,500 inhabitants. The authorities then took the decision to evacuate half of the city.

The town of Chapais was cut in two by the evacuation notice on one side of the central road, we could stay at home and on the other, we had to leave. The Chapaisiens concerned went to family and friends in the other part of the city which was still accessible. Others headed towards the Chibougamau municipal arena.

This extraordinary instruction marked the start of a season of historic forest fires in Quebec, Canada and elsewhere on the planet. A summer which tested the operational capacities of the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU).

Chapais, it’s a very intense fire. Since the fire was moving towards the communities, our goal was to protect lives.

Nature has also played a sad role in this wildfire season. A tipping point was also observed at a specific moment.

lightning strikes which fell throughout the territory, especially in the northern part of Quebec, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Chibougamau, Lebel-Sur-Quévillon. And that’s when millions of hectares lit up”,”text”:”On June 1, more than 3,000 lightning strikes fell across the entire territory, especially in the northern part of Quebec, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Chibougamau, Lebel-Sur-Quévillon. And that’s when millions of hectares lit up”}}”>1^er June, more than 3,000 lightning strikes fell across the entire territory, especially in the part of Nord-du-Québec, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quévillon. And that’s when millions of hectares lit upspecifies Ms. Poitras.

The new mayor of Chapais, Jacques Fortin, who was a municipal councilor at the time of the crisis, believes that the population must be made more aware of the consequences of forest fires. He emphasizes that 80% of fires are of human origin. There SOPFEU has also developed an awareness campaign deployed in the media and on social networks.

Mr. Fortin indicates that the City will have to continue its prevention efforts.

We are surrounded by trees, so the risk is enormous. We made firebreaks. Still, it’s not big enough yet. We will have to widen them and sow hardwood to really be able to make an adequate firebreak.indicates the mayor of Chapais.

Of criminal origin

Last September, the Sûreté du Québec arrested Brian Paré following an investigation meticulous. Complex and specific investigative techniques allowed the national police to target the 38-year-old man. He published a lot of content related to forest fires on social networks. His messages challenged the government’s role in in addition to claiming that several fires were lit voluntarily.

Brian Paré pleaded guilty in January to 14 counts of lighting fires in the area. Sentencing presentations are scheduled for October 9 and 10.

Post-traumatic shock

The management surrounding forest fires did not spare Isabelle Lessard. Mayor of Chapais in the summer of 2023, she resigned in November after several weeks of reflection. The former elected official received a diagnosis resembling post-traumatic shock. When leaving politics, the one whose work in times of crisis had been highlighted by several of her colleagues deplored the lack of resources for elected officials who face major crises.

According to information from Claude Bouchard