Evacuation of Kuujjuaraapik called off

Kuujjuaraapik's firefighters tried to contain a dangerous forest fire right at the doorstep of their community this past Saturday afternoon.

With temperatures in the 20s – about 10 C above normal – and high winds, the risk of fires in the twin Great Whale communities is higher than average.

But last weekend's fire, only four kilometres north of town, proved too big for firefighters in Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui to tackle.

However, the two fire departments immediately went on alert to organize a community-wide evacuation if the fire came closer. In 2000, a forest fire forced the evacuation of some residents to nearby Chisasibi.

Fortunately, rain fell Saturday night and by Sunday the fire, which covered more than a square kilometre, was doused.

"We were very lucky. Here, it's very dry," said Kuujjuaraapik's fire chief Claude Despars. "We have good equipment, but for a forest fire we would need very expensive equipment and training on how to use it."

A cigarette or a campfire may have started the fire, which quickly spread due to the dry undergrowth and 60 kilometre an hour winds.

"We're trying to tell people not to have fires outside, but it's hard because on the weekend everyone goes out for picnics in the bush. They want to cook something," Despars said. "We tell them to be very careful and put out everything before they come back."

Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui firefighters have been busier than usual this month.

On June 3, an elderly woman was smoking geese in a tent when the tent blew over and the fire spread to nearby grass.

This past Monday, an electrical fire broke out in the community's social club, but it was contained, Despars said, before the flames spread throughout the building.