The Weather Network editorial team
Posted May 13, 2023 at 10:38 p.m.
A sustained period of fine weather exacerbates a major risk: that of fires.
The situation is likely to worsen in the next few days: the risk of fire could increase in large parts of southern Quebec. Large parts of southern and western Quebec will need to remain vigilant this weekend as risks remain very high.
If you want to emphasize the nice weather with a campfire, you have to be particularly careful and take precautions. In the summer, people and lightning are the main causes of the fires. This will also be noticeable in 2022: no fewer than 94% of fires are of human origin.
The west of the province in particular needs to be kept in mind as the risk of forest fires there will reach extreme levels by Monday.
The streak is likely to end around Tuesday, when rainfall is expected to give several regions some respite.
Good gusts
Gusts play a role in this trend. In fact, they could blow at more than 60 km/h during the day on Monday, which could favor the spread of the flames.
As of May 13, 82 fires have been recorded year-to-date, burning approximately 91.3 hectares (or 0.91 square kilometers). However, the summer season has not yet started and it is possible that this number will skyrocket in the coming months.