Three fires broke out on Wednesday July 27 in four municipalities in the Ardèche, around Aubenas, the flames ravaging more than 200 hectares, the prefecture told AFP.
The fires affecting the municipalities of Freyssenet, Saint-Julien-du-Serre, Lussas and Lavilledieu, located on the Jastres plateau, mobilized a total of more than 250 firefighters, three Canadair, a dash and a civil security helicopter, lists the Ardèche administration.
More than 200 hectares went up in smoke, causing the evacuation of two factory establishments in Lavilledieu, the town hardest hit along with Lussas.
These await the reinforcement of 100 additional fire soldiers and two Canadair.
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Several roads were also cut and "
the fire is progressing towards the southwest
", specified the prefecture of Ardèche, adding that an investigation is underway to determine the origin of the fires.
On social networks, a resident of Vesseaux filmed the plume, visible about ten kilometers around according to him.
"
A catastrophic summer, heat wave, drought... Our forests are disappearing when we need them so much
," he laments.