By Canadian Press

Partial evacuation order due to forest fires lifted in Quebec Cree community

Aug 19, 2023 | 12:58 PM

MONTREAL — The Cree Nation of Wemindji in northwestern Quebec has lifted an evacuation order for medically vulnerable people after nearby forest fires led the community to declare a state of emergency earlier this week.

The nation said in a notice posted to Facebook Friday evening that the first flight to bring evacuees home was expected to depart at 10 a.m. this morning from Chisasibi, the community further north on James Bay where more than 200 Wemindji residents fled during the evacuation.

Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency says the blazes near Wemindji are no longer out of control thanks in part to long-awaited rainfall on Thursday and Friday.

Concerns that fires could cut off roads or airports in the James Bay region also led utility company Hydro-Québec to evacuate about 100 workers from its La Grande-3 dam on Wednesday.

But Hydro-Québec spokesperson Maxence Huard-Lefebvre says those employees were able to return as of 4 p.m. Friday.

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Wemindji’s Friday Facebook post also said it will maintain a local state of emergency despite the end of the partial evacuation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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