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Wildfire roundup: What you need to know about blazes burning across Canada

Fires burn across Canada

Air quality warnings persist in Quebec, Ontario and much of western Canada as wildfires continue to burn out of control in several jurisdictions across the country. Here's a look at developments Saturday:

Rain coming for Ontario and Quebec

Environment and Climate Change Canada says there is rain in the forecast for Ontario and western parts of Quebec.

Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Gerald Cheng says rain is expected in Ontario beginning late Sunday, and in western Quebec on Sunday night.

He says it remains to be seen whether the rain will help firefighters douse the flames in those provinces.

Smoke still a concern

Cheng says the fires in Ontario and Quebec have been significant contributors to the smoke that turned skies varying shades of smoggy oranges and yellows in Ontario and parts of the eastern U.S.

Cheng says while smoke concentrations in the U.S. have let up somewhat, there are still concerns for Canada, particularly for parts of Quebec.

He says smoke is also due to return to parts of Northeastern Ontario on Monday, and smoky skies could reach into Lake Superior.

Fire smoke will still choke the skies over Quebec on Monday, particularly around the Chibougamau and Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean regions.

Next 48 hours are crucial for Quebec fires

Warm, humid temperatures are expected in Quebec until the rain arrives in parts of the province later this weekend.

Officials say there are more than 130 fires burning in the province and teams have prioritized 37 of them, with 861 firefighters on the ground and 20 water bombers part of the fight.

Public Security Minister François Bonnardel says authorities are concerned for Normétal, located 720 kilometres northwest of Montreal in the Abitibi region, where fires are burning nearby.

Another major fight is taking place in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, a northern municipality where the province's largest fire is about five kilometres southeast of the community but also within a few kilometres of the Nordic Kraft pulp mill.

The situation remains stable in Chibougamau, Mistissini, Chapais and Oujé-Bougoumou, where numerous teams are deployed.

Provincial authorities say 13,810 Quebecers have been evacuated due to the wildfire situation in the province.

Nova Scotia still ablaze

The largest forest fire in Nova Scotia's history continues to burn out of control in Shelburne County, though officials say the flames are no longer spreading.

The fire broke out May 27 near Barrington Lake and it has since devoured more than 234 square kilometres of land.

About 130 firefighters are continuing their battle today to knock it down.

Nova Scotia woman fined for open fire

Police say a woman in central Nova Scotia has been fined nearly $29,000 for having an unsupervised outdoor fire in the midst of a provincewide fire ban.

RCMP Cpl. Chris Marshall says officers found a fire in a firepit on Friday on a private property in Lantz, N.S., which is about 50 kilometres north of Halifax.

Officers doused the flames with a hose and then gave a woman in the house on the property a ticket for $28,872.50.

Fire threatens northeastern British Columbia town

Fire officials are hoping a wind change will help save the community of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia, after an intense wildfire pushed within a few kilometres of the town.

The community of 2,400 people has mostly been evacuated but Tumbler Ridge fire Chief Dustin Curry says about 150 people remained on Friday.

Some of those are emergency personnel, but others are residents who refuse to comply with the order to leave.



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