Credits: Copernicus
Science
Fires in Gironde: the fight is also fought from space
The fires that ignite the Gironde are monitored day after day by satellite.
The images provided make it possible to measure the extent of the damage, but also to analyze the progression of the flames and to identify the vulnerable infrastructures.
Victor Alexandre and Stanislas de Livonniere
Last update: 07/21/2022
Firefighters have allies over their heads.
Their name: Sentinel.
A group of satellites coordinated by the European Copernicus program, jointly managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission.
On July 12, 2022, two fires were born to the east and west of the Gironde.
In Landiras, not far from Sauternes and in La Teste-de-Buch, at the foot of the Dune du Pilat.
Civil Security, which depends on the Ministry of the Interior, then requests close monitoring of the situation from the Copernicus program.
“We have been working with Copernicus for several years, it is a very valuable tool”
Spokesperson for Civil Security
Activated for the first time in 2022, this close surveillance quickly began to produce images and technical data.
"In the context of a fire, the main gain is to identify each source of flames" specifies Julie Moulas at Civil Security.
The first images, striking, already make it possible to imagine the extent of the disaster to date.
La Teste: where is the fire?
Those who have had the chance to climb the Dune du Pilat (Gironde), the highest in Europe, all remember the immense pine forest that extends from its foothills.
A green plain now ravaged by flames.
The south of the Bassin d'Arcachon
Seen on July 12, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
The south of the Bassin d'Arcachon
Seen on July 12, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
The south of the Bassin d'Arcachon
Seen on July 12, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
On these images provided by the Sentinel-2 satellite, we can clearly distinguish the Arcachon basin.
Surrounded here are the city of Arcachon, Cap Ferret and the Dune du Pilat to the south.
The area that caught fire is precisely at the foot of the Dune du Pilat, in La Teste-de-Buch.
La Teste: the impact of a week of fires seen from the sky
At the time of writing, July 21, 2022, the authorities report 7,000 hectares burned in La Teste.
The images transmitted on July 19 already show the extent of the disaster: scorched land and still active outbreaks around the area.
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 12, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Here is the region photographed by Sentinel-2, shortly before the start of the disaster, on July 12, 2022.
Here are the affected areas and the outbreaks identified on July 18 at 6:37 p.m.
There are active foci...
... as well as the winds by the direction taken by the fumes.
Much more than pictures
Sentinel's competition doesn't stop at taking pictures.
The technicians of the European program are able to make them speak by publishing valuable technical data.
Measurement of affected areas, pointing of fires, threatened infrastructure or even counting of destroyed buildings... so much information transmitted to the South-West Civil Security, in charge of coordinating operations.
La Teste-de-Buch
Area burned as of July 18, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Area burned as of July 18, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Area burned as of July 19, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
La Teste-de-Buch
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Here is the extent of the damage as of July 18.
And the outbreaks detected on this same date.
The satellite passed over the Gironde the next day, July 19.
The analysis of the images also makes it possible to cut out and identify precisely the residential buildings or the equipment threatened or already affected.
Likewise, the roads taken or available, the water points and the typology of surrounding vegetation.
The distinction between conifers and other tree species is particularly valuable information.
The same device for the Landiras fire
About fifty kilometers to the east, at the same time, the flames ravaged the rural town of Landiras.
The emergency services have the same wealth of information there, which allows us to dissect the scene in the same way.
Landiras
Seen on July 12, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Landiras
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Landiras
Area burned as of July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Landiras
Area burned as of July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Landiras
Seen on July 17, 2022
Source: Copernicus via Sentinel Hub, Sinergise Ltd
Also in Gironde, Landiras is located an hour's drive east of La Teste-de-Buch.
Here is a zoomed satellite view of the town on July 12.
And here is the same shot on July 17, 2022.
There too, we can see the burnt surfaces, the active hearths...
... and the infrastructures methodically listed.
Technology used twice in 2021, according to Civil Security.
During the fires in Gonfaron (Var) and the floods around Beauvoir-sur-Mer in the north of Vendée.
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