Maine crews to help fight fire in Quebec

A 21-member Maine Forest Service firefighting crew was expected to fly today to Quebec, where a 10,000-acre forest fire was reported 350 miles northwest of Quebec City.

Part of the crew, led by Ranger Todd Weeks, based in Brown Brook, was scheduled to leave Bangor International Airport this morning, stopping in Presque Isle to pick up more crew members.

Some members of the crew are civilian wildland firefighters from various sections of the state.

The service said the crew was sent as part of an agreement between members of the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission, known as the Compact, which covers the New England states, national forests in New England and New Brunswick, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Information about the fire is available at www.sopfeu.pc.ca/html/english/pointschauds/carte.php.