Quebec’s natural resources minister says wilderness firefighters are now taking the offensive against the province’s forest fires instead of just reacting to the blazes.

Maïté Blanchette Vézina says coordinated attacks against the fires are now possible due to reinforcements from other jurisdictions, including a team of wilderness firefighters from France.

She says there are still 131 fires burning in the province, but the number of out of control fires has dropped by 28 to 44.

But she says it’s not yet safe to allow people to return to any of the communities that have been evacuated.

Blanchette Vézina says discussions with local officials about allowing people to return to Chibougamau, Que., where around 7,500 people were forced from their homes, and the surrounding area will take place today and Monday but the situation has not improved enough around evacuated communities in western Quebec.

With no rain expected in affected areas before Tuesday, she says the flammability index remains high.