Published on June 10, 2024 by Ronald Mc Gregor
The Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU) counted only 68 vegetation fires in May which affected 79.1 hectares (ha) of forest, which amounts to concluding that there were half as many fires during this period.
In its press release on the subject, SOPFEU underlines that “the average of the last 10 years has more than double, with 148 fires for an area of 337 ha burned.”
According to SOPFEU, May was wetter than normal and shared between days of significant rain and day-to-day sunshine. Compared to May 2023, a month of numerous fires, SOPFEU maintains that citizen awareness and the major advertising campaign, still ongoing, has had a positive effect on fires caused by human negligence.
“Thus, the impact of weather conditions, calculated using the cumulative severity index for the period, shows that we could have expected 40 more forest fires with the weather observed over the last month,” explains the organization.
Causes of fires
Classic it must be said, the main causes of fires are cigarette butts thrown on the ground, accounting for 12 fires representing 17.6% of fires. Followed by poorly extinguished camp fires, 9 fires representing 13.2% of fires and waste burning, or 7 fires representing 10.3% of fires.
“It should be noted, underlines SOPFEU, that 16 fires (23.5%) were caused by electrical wires, including a fire in Témiscamingue which alone caused almost half of the areas burned during the month of May. [2024]. As for fires of natural causes, there were six lightning fires (8.9%).
Support for provinces
Since the situation in Quebec was more lenient, SOPFEU lent a helping hand to Manitoba, which was struggling with major forest fires. A section of 20 forest firefighters and an agency representative left Quebec on May 18, for a two-week mission.
“The same day, an information officer was deployed to Alberta, and, a week later, an aeropointer was deployed to the Northwest Territories,” adds the organization.
Caution at all times
With the arrival of June, the temperature is conducive to fires. SOPFEU asks the population to be extra vigilant in order to “avoid avoidable fires”.
Post Views:
0
