Cree community of Mistissini in Quebec under evacuation order

Forest fires and smoke in northern Quebec has forced residents from a Cree community in Mistissini to leave home by 8 a.m. Friday morning.

As of 1 p.m., almost 1,500 vehicles had left town, along with six buses carrying around 300 passengers, said Chief Michael Petawabano, adding that around 600 vulnerable people had already been evacuated from the area Tuesday.

The community of about 3,000 people will make its way to Chicoutimi, according to Jason Secapio, who works for Mistissini public security.

According to the community, the fire is 28 kilometres from Mistissini. 

Petawabano said he was confident the community would be safe from the flames. Canadian soldiers and firefighters from Spain were staying to protect the town, and fire breaks had been built, he said. He added that Mistissini is located on a peninsula and protected by water.

But even if infrastructure is saved, the charred forests will have an impact on life in the town. For many people, especially elders, the loss of forests — where they used to hunt — is difficult, he said.

"That's one of the toughest things for our people here. We live off the land, and they're not too happy with all the destruction that's been caused by these fires,'' he said. "That's where you feel the hurt."

La Passion de Rubie animal shelter in Alma will take in up to 60 pets at the Mistissini Sports Complex Friday morning. An additional 40 pets can be taken care of by the same shelter if the owners are able to drive them to Alma.

Fire still out of control

According to the province's fire prevention agency, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), the fire closest to Mistissini is still out of control and covers an area of nearly 40,000 hectares.

The Cree Nation of Mistissini Council expects the smoke to make it much harder to see in the next few days.

"Sunday is expected to have really heavy smoke. Driving is expected to be difficult due to low visibility. We have time to evacuate carefully," says a post on the community's Facebook page.

Environment Canada issued a special bulletin concerning air quality in the Chibougamau sector Thursday. According to meteorologist Jean-Philippe Bégin, the air quality is very poor.

Other communities also forced to fllee

On Friday afternoon, the northwestern city of Senneterre ordered the evacuation of 60 cottages in a rural area, around 30 kilometres north of the city centre. Mayor Nathalie-Ann Pelchat said in an email that winds were blowing a fire toward the cottages, but added that no other evacuations were expected.

On Thursday, the northern city of Lebel-sur-Quevillon ordered residents to leave after the same fire cut off one of the two provincial highways connecting the city to the rest of the province.

It was the second time in less than three weeks that the city had ordered an evacuation due to the fires. Residents had been allowed to return on Sunday after a 17-day evacuation earlier this month, but most of the community's approximately 2,000 residents didn't return or left earlier in the week.

For resident Jacynthe Barrette, the second evacuation order was a sign that she made the right decision not to stay in the community when residents were allowed to return. Barrette, who has been staying with her sister in Val-d'Or, Que., around 120 kilometres south of Lebel-sur-Quevillon, said she went back to check on her house and get a few things before leaving again.

Barrette said she's not worried about her home, adding that Lebel-sur-Quevillon is protected by water on three sides, and firefighters, including some from outside the country, were working hard to protect the town.

"What I miss the most is getting back to my friends, my normal life, my routine," she said in an interview Thursday, adding that she missed her involvement with community organizations, including one that helps new immigrants integrate into the community.

There were more than 100 fires burning in Quebec Friday, including 24 that were considered out of control, the province's wildfire prevention agency (SOPFEU) said, adding that continued dry conditions were causing fires to gain strength.

Since the beginning of the week, seven fires that had been contained were once again out of control, the agency said.