CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · EVENING EDITION
July 22, 2026 · 7:30 p.m. ET
Ten active fires in the intensive protection zone and 136 in the northern zone: Quebec’s forest fire agency SOPFEU lifted its open-air burning ban on July 20, even as it keeps close watch on several regions.
According to the latest update from the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), ten fires are active in the intensive protection zone and 136 in the northern zone across Quebec.
The hardest-hit regions remain Nord-du-Québec (Jamésie, Kativik Regional Government, Eeyou Istchee), Outaouais (Papineau, Gatineau, Les Collines-de-l’Outaouais, La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Pontiac), Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (Le Domaine-du-Roy, Maria-Chapdelaine, Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, Saguenay, Le Fjord-du-Saguenay), as well as Côte-Nord and Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Several forest roads have been affected: the Route du Nord and Muskeg Road reopened under monitoring, while Route EM-1 remains closed and Route N-810 stays shut between kilometres 66 and 156.
The ban on open-air fires in or near forests, in place since July 13, was fully lifted on July 20 at noon.
Despite the relative easing, authorities say the situation still needs close monitoring in the coming weeks, particularly in the northern regions.
Watch for
How conditions evolve in Nord-du-Québec and Outaouais, the full reopening of remaining closed forest roads, and any new restrictions should fire risk climb again.
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