Forest fires cut off highway between Quebec and Labrador West
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Forest fires burning on the North Shore of Quebec have severed access to Labrador West, closing the western road and rail routes to the bustling mining region.
Route 389 — the only highway connecting the border region to the rest of Quebec — was closed on Sunday evening due to a fire on the North Shore. Quebec towns like Fermont still have access to Newfoundland and Labrador via the Trans-Labrador Highway to the east.
The rail line, connecting Sept-Îles on the North Shore to the mining town of Schefferville at the border, has also been shut down after sustaining minor damage by fire.
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Radio-Canada reported shipments of food were flown in to Schefferville on Sunday, and the rail line will be closed "for a preventative period" lasting until Friday. The line is owned by Rio Tinto IOC, with a passenger service offered by Tshiuetin Rail Transportation.
The fire has reportedly damaged a telecommunications tower and a fibre optic line, both belonging to Rio Tinto IOC.
More than 14,000 residents of Quebec have been evacuated from their homes in recent days, including Sept-Îles and the neighbouring Innu community of Mani-Utenam. As of Sunday, 47 people had been airlifted to hospitals in Quebec City and Montreal.
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Thumbnail image courtesy of André Michel via CBC.
This article was originally published for CBC News. With files from Radio-Canada
