A fire traversed Saturday 500 hectares of vegetation in the mountain of Alaric (Aude) after having resulted in the evacuation of 90 inhabitants of the town of Fontcouverte, we learned from the firefighters.
"The working conditions are very difficult because of the drought of the vegetation and the strong wind
,
"
Commander Jean-Michel Dubois, of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Operational Center (Codis) told AFP. 'Aude.
The fire broke out in the early afternoon for an unknown reason on the central median of the A61 between the towns of Moux and Foncouverte, said the same source.
Ninety people from a district of this town, threatened at one time, had to be evacuated as the fire front progressed.
The prefecture indicated that the situation was
"stabilized"
in Foncouverte while fire was now threatening the commune of Fabrezan.
Shortly before 8 p.m., and while the fire covered 500 hectares of vegetation in this massif which culminates at 600 meters, no less than 500 firefighters were at work, the 300 firefighters of the Aude quickly received the reinforcement of 200 firefighters from neighboring departments.
Seven Canadair, two Dash-type water bombers as well as a Super Puma helicopter support the ground resources until nightfall, Codis 11 also indicated. 75 rescuers from the Departmental Rescue Service and Aude fires were also deployed. Human and material reinforcements from Hérault, Bouches-du-Rhône, Auvergne and South-West should arrive overnight to fight against this fire which is the largest in the region since the start of the summer.
