Québec bans open fires north of the Saint Lawrence River due to 200 active forest fires

Québec has banned open fires north of the Saint Lawrence River due to 200 active forest fires. The province's Ministry of Public Security expanded the ban because of prolonged dry conditions and the high workload for SOPFEU, the forest fire prevention agency. This measure aims to prevent human-caused fires, as 80% in southern Quebec are attributed to human activity, while dry lightning fuels most fires in the north.