with VideoFrance continues to struggle with devastating forest fires. Since the beginning of this year, more than 57,000 hectares of nature reserve have been reduced to ashes. The weather conditions don’t make it any easier either. For example, the persistent heat and drought, which are accompanied by warm and dry winds, are causing even more problems for the fire service. More than 10,000 people have already been evacuated in the Gironde department, where the most severe fire is raging.
Tessa Van den Bosch
Latest update:
10:00
Since July, France has registered a record number of wildfires, reports the European Forest Fire Information System. Forests are bone dry due to various heat waves and the historic water shortage. The country is going through a devastating summer, and that doesn’t seem to be changing for the time being.
On Friday morning, seven more major fires raged in the departments of Gironde, Drôme, Jura, Maine-et-Loire, Isère and the Vosges. The numerous small fires that start every day, both in the north and south, are not included. The fire also flares up in the Ardèche.
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Gironde
Fire broke out near Landiras in the Gironde department, south of Bordeaux, on Tuesday. Despite the tireless work of the fire brigade, the fire is not yet under control. “The fire has spread. There are several battles going on,” explains Martin Guespereau, who is in charge of defense and security in the department.
The local authorities speak of a tough fight against the fire that the fire brigade “times manages to surprise”. “It is as if we are dealing here with a monster that has brains and behaves tactically,” a spokesman told the French newspaper. Sud Ouest. In total, 7400 hectares of nature reserve have already gone up in flames in Gironde and the Landes department. No civilians have been injured in the fire. Several firefighters were injured. One of them is in serious condition.
The Landiras fire is the resurgence of a gigantic fire from July that left 14,000 hectares in flames. “It’s a monster,” said Gregory Allione, spokesman for the fire service to the French RTL Radio. Temperatures of up to 38 degrees and strong gusts are expected in the region today.
A total of 10,000 people had already been evacuated. In the municipality of Belin-Béliet, sixteen houses have already been completely destroyed. Since Wednesday, the forest fire has also closed the A63 highway, an important car route from Bordeaux to the Spanish border at Hendaye. It will remain closed until at least August 14.
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Drome
In the southeastern department of Drôme, fire broke out last Friday near the Diois Mountains. The fire is not yet under control, but the spread of the flames is slowing, the French news channel reports BFM TV. A total of 291 hectares have already been burned, the local fire department said. So far, no evacuations have been carried out.
Jura
Multiple forest fires have destroyed 660 hectares of nature reserve in the Jura. On Thursday afternoon, a village with 250 inhabitants was forced to evacuate. “The spread of the fire in the area of Vescles and Cernon has accelerated (Thursday) afternoon,” the local government said. A total of 150 firefighters are on site. There will also be reinforcements from other departments.
Ardeche
Also in the Ardèche region, which is extremely popular with the Dutch, the fire continues. About 250 firefighters have been deployed in the southern department to fight a blaze at Lagorce. Some 600 people had to be evacuated as a precaution, including 300 holidaymakers from the Silhols and Chadeyron campsites. They were now able to return. The fire has not yet been extinguished, despite the efforts of the fire brigade who fought the flames all night, regional media report. The Lagorce fire has already destroyed more than 300 hectares of undergrowth and pine forests. Three firefighters were injured.
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Aveyron
The two forest fires that ravage the departments of Aveyron and Lozère have now been extinguished. The fires destroyed 730 hectares of forest on the border between the two departments. ‘Caution is still advised’ and ‘the fire brigade will remain ready in the coming days’, it sounds.
In addition to the 3,000 people who had already been evacuated as a precaution, another 500 residents and campers had to leave the area on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, a man has been charged with ‘involuntary destruction’. The fire started Monday after an agricultural machine caused sparks. As a result, the vegetation along a road in Lozère caught fire and the flames quickly spread.
Maine-et-Loire
The fire in the Maine-et-Loire region, located in western France, had already been extinguished. Philippe Chalopin, the mayor of the municipality of Baugé-en-Anjou, announced this on Twitter on Wednesday evening. Chalopin also reported that a total of 1,540 hectares of vegetation went up in flames. The fire started Monday afternoon, but the fire service was unable to intervene immediately. For example, the firefighters were not allowed to enter the zone of the Beauregard mining site, where explosives from the Second World War are stored.
Isere
In the southeastern department of Isère, a forest fire was reported on August 5 in the municipality of Voreppe. The fire has not yet been extinguished and the situation is being monitored closely. Already 130 hectares have been destroyed. There are currently 200 firefighters on site. Before the fire can be completely extinguished, it will first have to rain, according to the fire service. However, that precipitation is not expected until next week.
Vosges
A fire was also reported on Wednesday afternoon in the Vosges, in the municipality of Mortagne. In total, between 30 and 40 hectares of forest were burned. Forest fires are very atypical for the department. About a hundred people had to be evacuated, but in the meantime were allowed to return to their homes.
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