Prohibition of access to and traffic in forests

Québec City, July 3, 2026. - For reasons of public safety, the Ministère de la Sécurité intérieure (MSI) is prohibiting traffic in and access to the forest in the sector auround the fire 284 which is located approximately 85 km northwest of Matagami (Nord-du-Québec). This ban takes effect on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 1 P.M.

Here is a map showing the precise location of the territory in question:

The measure prohibiting traffic in and access to the forest applies in that part of the territory formed by a rectangle bounded by the following coordinates: to the northwest by latitude 50º 23’ and longitude 79º 31’; to the northeast by latitude 50º 23’ and longitude 78º 20’; to the southeast by latitude 49º 38’ and longitude 78º 20’; and to the southwest by latitude 49º 38’ and longitude 79º 31’.

The municipalities affected is Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.

The intention of the MSI decision, made in conjunction with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) and the government's civil protection coordination structure, is to ensure the safety of the population concerned and to reduce the risk of fire.

The MSI would like to remind the public that in this period of extreme flammability, with forest fires burning in certain sectors of Québec, the utmost caution is required to avoid further ignitions. The cooperation of all forest territory users is essential to ensure the safety of our communities and to protect our infrastructures and forests.

Under section 155.1 of the Fire Safety Act, anyone who fails to comply with an order prohibiting traffic in or access to the forest, or any other measure imposed by the Minister, is liable to a fine in addition to payment of costs.

For further information

For information on the territory covered by the ban, or on forest fires in general, please visit the Gouvernement du Québec's Forest Fires web page or the SOPFEU website, or call Services Québec toll-free at 1-877-644-4545.