Wildfire
Wildfires are dangerous for all people living near woodlands.
 In
the wild, wildfires are ignited by lightning. But some wildfires
are caused by careless campers who did not extinguish their
campfire or by walkers who threw their cigarettes in the woods.
80% of wildfires are caused by careless people.
Wildfires move forward rapidly, even more if winds blow and
the weather is dry.
To stop wildfires, firefighters use water bombers which carry
water and drop it on wildfires.
Wildfires do not only have bad effects. In fact, the many
dead pin needles, leaves and tree trunks on the ground are
burnt to ashes by wildfires. These ashes are full of minerals
and help the growth of new trees.
By burning trees, wildfires make “gaps” in the
forest (called clearings). These clearings allow the sun to
heat the ground up and help tree seeds to grow.
How to Prevent Wildfires
Ensure that your campfires are always properly extinguished.
Never smoke in the woods.
What to Do During a Wildfire
If your family is asked to evacuate, do so immediately! Do
not forget your emergency kit.
 Did
You Know...?
- In Québec, there are 14 water bombers available
to extinguish wildfires.
- A water bomber can fill its 5 000-litre water compartment
in 10 seconds and empty it on a wildfire in 1 second.
- The wildfire “season” stretches from April to
October.
- In Québec, there is an average of 794 wildfires
every year.
- In Québec, wildfires burn an average of 90 399
hectares every year. The size of a football field is approximately
one hectare!
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Last update: 10/10/00 06:02 PM
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