News
UPDATE: Fire on Gault Nature Reserve
A fire has broken out on the Gault Nature Reserve at Mt. St. Hilaire.
A citizen reported the fire to the local fire station at about 12:15 p.m. today. Everyone has been evacuated from the area. Two planes are currently flying over and dropping water on the area in an attempt to put out the fire. The fire extends about 100m by 200m into the Dieppe Valley, which is at about 350 metres in altitude and fairly close to the summit. The probable cause of the fire is a non-extinguished illegal campfire left from yesterday. Given the very dry conditions on the mountain it is estimated that it will take two or three days to fully extinguish the fire.
Gault Nature Reserve is a private Reserve affiliated with the Faculty of Science of McGill University.
UPDATE 4:59 pm: CL-415 planes have completed dumping water on the affected area. Work will continue with a helicopter and fire fighters will work to extinguish the fire by pumping water from a nearby pond. No buildings threatened.