Officials have revealed that forest fires in Quebec, Canada, have forced 1,300 people from their homes, as 14 fires burned out of control on Thursday.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has reported that four of the out-of-control fires are on the Wemotaci reserve.

Many residents of the Wemotaci village are staying at an emergency shelter provided at a school in La Tuque where the Red Cross is helping.

One woman at the shelter said, "We were already ready to go. When we saw there was smoke, we knew we would be evacuated."

Wemotaci resident Denis Chilton, one of several villagers who refused to leave and said they were able to save dozens of houses from burning, said, "It's our village. We have to protect our village."

The CBC further said that seventy people from the Obaadjiwan First Nation farther north have also evacuated their village because of health concerns.

It was also reported that pregnant women, children and those with pulmonary issues have been moved to Roberval in the Saguenay area. (With Inputs from Agencies)