Fires set deliberately in Boucher Forest, Gatineau police investigating

Tashi Farmilo

Fires were set deliberately in Boucher Forest on the evening of May 3, putting one of Aylmer's most cherished natural spaces and the surrounding area at serious risk.

Gatineau police responded to a call just before 8:30 pm and found a tree burning in Jardins-Lavigne park. The fire department attended and investigators cordoned off the area to examine the scene. Police say no similar incidents had been reported in the weeks prior.

The Fondation Forêt Boucher revealed on May 7 that the threat had been far greater than a single burning tree. Fires had been set at multiple locations throughout the forest, leaving what the foundation described as a considerable area scorched. The fires were out by then, but the full damage was still being assessed.

The risks of what happened cannot be overstated. A fire that escapes containment in a dry, wooded area can spread with terrifying speed. Boucher Forest is a rare and fragile environment, sheltering 400 plant and animal species across 13 distinct tree stands, including the largest concentration of black walnut trees in the National Capital Region. Cedars, maples, ashes and pines fill the canopy, while wetlands wind through the understory below. The forest is also a critical stopover for 100 species of migratory birds, nearly half of which carry some form of protected or at-risk status. A blaze that got out of hand could have caused lasting, irreversible damage to ecosystems that took generations to establish, and posed a direct threat to nearby homes and families.

The foundation has spent decades working alongside Aylmer residents to protect the forest, and the idea that someone would set fires across it, deliberately and in multiple locations, is being treated with the seriousness it deserves. Lighting fires anywhere in the park is strictly prohibited and carries the risk of a fine. The foundation says it is in contact with authorities and monitoring the situation closely. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPVG's confidential tip line at 819-243-4636, option 5.