A spokesperson for Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency has expressed concern over the hot and dry weather that has arrived in the province. In response, the government has issued a ban on open fires in forested areas, and this has been extended to cover forests and surrounding regions, including Montreal. The agency, SOPFEU, is working with the Natural Resources Department to prevent forest fires. The danger index has risen from “high” to “extreme” due to very warm and dry weather caused by a high pressure system. Multiple wildfires are burning across Canada, and the agency has dispatched a team to Alberta while keeping all other resources available. So far this season, there have been 194 fires burning about 318 hectares, compared to the 10-year average of 188 fires burning about 185 hectares in the same time period.