Lightning sparked dozens of wildfires in Quebec in July

Quebec's wildfire protection agency reported "above-average" fire activity in July, largely attributed to a significant increase in lightning strikes. The province battled 90 wildfires last month, which consumed 1,675 hectares of forest. This figure surpasses the recent July average of 66 fires burning 1,115 hectares.

Lightning was identified as the leading cause, responsible for 41% of the wildfires. Other contributing factors included improperly extinguished campfires (16%), forestry and industrial operations, smoking-related items, electrical wires, and waste burning. The agency noted that July experienced temperatures slightly above normal, below-average precipitation in western Quebec and on the North Shore, and sustained winds.

This atmospheric instability also resulted in exceptional thunderstorm activity, with 243,363 lightning strikes recorded across the province, nearly triple the average for the past seven years. The July wildfires were predominantly concentrated in northern Quebec, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the North Shore, and the Outaouais regions.

Quebec received substantial support from more than 220 wildland firefighters deployed from other provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, as well as from the United States. By the end of July, the wildfire situation in Quebec was deemed "under control," enabling the province to send teams to assist British Columbia, which was facing numerous wildfires.