Côte‑Nord, Quebec Wildfires Spur Prevention Campaign and Fire‑Mushroom Foraging Expedition

In May 2024 Québec recorded 101 vegetation fires, below the seasonal average of 138. On the Côte‑Nord, fire crews extinguished 13 blazes, including two major incidents: Fire 120 near Forestville burned 59.1 ha after a power‑line break in strong winds, and Fire 158 near Baie‑Trinité consumed 15 ha following a road accident, prompting road closures and the precautionary evacuation of nearby residents. The provincial fire agency (SOPFEU) notes that 99 % of May fires were human‑caused, often from careless debris burning, and has launched a public awareness campaign to discourage preventable fires as hotter, drier conditions return in June.

Following the 2023‑24 fire season, the Association forestière Côte‑Nord and the Trésors des bois team organized a June‑July 2024 expedition to search for the fire‑mushroom (morille de feu) in recently burned stands. Building on a 2024 scouting trip that yielded a single mushroom, the new venture aims to document the fungus’s presence and monitor forest regeneration up to five years after a blaze. Participants will be air‑lifted to a promising burn scar, collect samples autonomously, and share updates via the association’s blog and social media, linking citizens to the evolving post‑fire landscape.