A fire destroyed 200 hectares of pine forest on Sunday July 31 in the Gard, in the town of Aubais, south of Nîmes, causing a large plume of smoke which required the partial closure of the A9 motorway, according to firefighters and the prefecture.
The fire broke out around 3 p.m. along departmental road 12. Some preventive evacuations were underway, the prefecture told AFP.
Fanned by the Mistral and the Tramontana, whose gusts blow at 60 km / h on dry ground, the fire progresses from 2.5 to 3 kilometers per hour, explained to AFP the commander William Borelly, in charge of communication .
As a security measure, the A9, which serves Spain in particular, has been closed in both directions to traffic for about ten kilometers between Lunel and Gallargues, announced the motorway company Vinci.
Highway traffic cut
“
The fire does not affect the motorway, but a significant release of smoke presents a risk for traffic
”, specifies Vinci who has implemented traffic management measures on the A9 and the A54.
As a result, the A709 urban motorway has also been closed to traffic in both directions between Montpellier South (No. 30) and Montpellier West (No. 31), as a safety measure, adds the motorway company.
"
There are currently 3 km of traffic jam towards Spain and 4 km of traffic jam towards Lyon
".
Five planes and a water bomber helicopter are in action.
Reinforcements of firefighters from neighboring departments are also expected to help the 170 firefighters already mobilized.
The Gard was placed on Saturday, for the first time this season, in "
extreme danger
" level for the risk of forest fire in the Gard Rhodanien area.
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