CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · ÉDITION DU SOIR | EVENING EDITION — Thursday, July 30, 2026, 7:06 PM ET
Quebec’s forest fire protection agency, SOPFEU, is keeping its open-fire ban in place across all of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, as fire danger climbs in the Gaspésie region.
Because of sustained heat in recent days, the ban on all open fires remains in effect throughout Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. SOPFEU is asking residents to remain especially vigilant in forested areas.
Near Route 389, about sixty forest firefighters are still battling fire number 2026-358, near Lac de la Bouteille. The fire burned very intensely earlier in the week, particularly in its northeast sector, before slowing on Wednesday and Thursday. A slight advance was nonetheless observed in that same sector, where the fire crossed the provincial boundary into Labrador. Helicopters are supporting ground crews.
Further north in the region, as well as in Gaspésie, fire danger indices are expected to rise to elevated, very elevated, or even extreme levels in the coming days, according to SOPFEU.
What to watch
The path of fire 2026-358 near Lac de la Bouteille; whether the open-fire ban expands to other regions; heat and wind forecasts driving fire risk in Gaspésie.
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