What is the name and location of the wildfires?
The Lebel-sur-Quévillon wildfire, Val-d'Or wildfire, Chapais wildfire, and Sept-îles wildfire are four of the 114 out-of-control wildfires burning in Quebec, Canada as of June 6, 2023.
Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfires?
The wildfires in Quebec have affected various regions, including the northwestern Abitibi region and the eastern Côte-Nord region. These regions have seen forced evacuations, with approximately 10,000 people being displaced from their homes.
Wildfire smoke has created a haze of poor air quality across Quebec and Ontario as well as the U.S. Midwest, New England, and Mid-Atlantic states. Cities with poor air quality include Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.
What is the current containment status of the wildfires?
There are 160 wildfires and 114 are uncontained as of June 6, 2023 (1). Firefighters from France and the United States are being deployed, and Quebec is seeking support from other countries like Costa Rica, Portugal, and Chile. These efforts indicate ongoing containment and firefighting measures being undertaken.
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
An estimated 10,000 people have been evacuated from regions of Quebec. The hamlet of Clova, Quebec, has been evacuated, and residents from other affected areas have also been displaced from their homes. The municipality of St-Lambert in the Abitibi region declared a state of emergency and ordered its residents to leave their homes.
Evacuation orders for Sept-îles have been lifted (2).
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
