Vulnerable members of Cree communities in northern Quebec asked to evacuate due to wildfire smoke

Several Cree communities in northern Quebec have begun moving some residents out because of smoke and wildfires in the area. 

Evacuation notices were issued for vulnerable people in the Cree nations of Nemaska, Eastmain, Waskaganish and Wemindji, as smoke from nearby wildfires engulfed the Eeyou Istchee traditional lands and fires blocked some of the only roads in and out of town. 

Manon Cyr, the president of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government, said evacuees are being flown to L'Ancienne-Lorette, a suburb of Quebec City, where they are being put up in a hotel with the help of the Red Cross.

Cyr said about 100 people left Thursday morning.

On Friday, Ottawa announced it is deploying Canadian Rangers — part of the Canadian Army Reserve who live in remote, isolated and coastal regions of the country — to help with the evacuations. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said the government will also help fly people to safety. 

The Grand Council of the Crees said Thursday that several coastal communities in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory are in pre-evacuation mode. 

Raymond Shanoush, the elected chief of Eastmain, said in a phone interview Thursday that his nation has been meeting with the Cree health board, SOPFEU and Indigenous Services Canada regularly to monitor the situation and decide next steps. 

The nation declared a state of emergency late Thursday due to the fires and urged all residents to prepare for a full evacuation.

People with health issues, considered to be part of the first phase of the community's emergency measures plan, have been advised by the health board that they will be flown out. 

Radisson, located more than 300 kilometres north of Eastmain, declared a local state of emergency on Thursday as well. 

The province's fire prevention agency, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), says there are 134 wildfires burning in the province, including 93 in the zone that includes several Cree communities.

Eastmain sits on the southeast shore of James Bay, south of Wemindji. Nemaska is about 200 kilometres east of Eastmain, 800 or so kilometres north of Quebec City.