Forest fires cut off highway, rail line between Quebec and Labrador West

Forest fires burning on Quebec's North Shorehave severed access to Labrador West, closing the western road and rail routes to the bustlingmining region.

Route 389 the only highway connecting the border region to the rest of Quebec was closedSunday evening due to a fireon the North Shore. Quebec towns like Fermont still have access to Newfoundland and Labrador via the Trans-Labrador Highway to the east.

Therail line, connectingSept-leson the North Shore to the mining town ofSchefferville at the border, has also been shut down after sustaining minor damageby fire.

Radio-Canada reported shipments of food were flown in to Scheffervilleon Sunday, and the rail line will be closed "for a preventative period" lasting until Friday. The line is ownedby Rio Tinto IOC, with a passenger service offered by Tshiuetin Rail Transportation.

The fire hasdamaged a telecommunications tower and a fibre-optic line, both belonging to Rio Tinto IOC.

The closure has forcedthe companyto idle its iron ore operation in the region including the mine, the concentrator and the pellet plant in Labrador City until the rail line reopens.

"We will focus our energies on maintaining our assets and protecting the railway and our camps," said the company in an emailed statement. "At Sept-Iles, high-risk tasks remain suspended until further notice, in order to prioritize the health and safety of our employees."

The statement says the company's fire brigade is monitoring a bridge and tower, where they've set up a sprinkler system as a precaution.

More than 14,000 residents of Quebec,including people from Sept-les and the neighbouring Innu community of Mani-Utenam, have been evacuated from their homes in recent days, . As of Sunday, 47 people had been airlifted to hospitals in Quebec City and Montreal.

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