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“The incendiary pressure is atypical”: in the Alpes-Maritimes, a weekend marked by multiple forest fires

2023-03-13T17:06:39.021Z


Firefighters had to deal with nine fire starts last week and unfavorable weather conditions. In total, more than 60 hectares burned.


Le Figaro Nice

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The fumes were visible from the villages and struggled to dissipate all weekend.

Since last Thursday, the Alpes-Maritimes have experienced early and intense forest fires.

In total, the firefighters had to intervene on nine fire starts in the department.

"It's atypical but not exceptional either"

, nuance Commander Xavier Wiik, head of the Sdis group.

“Winter fires” are known phenomena in the region.

The firefighters know how to apprehend them.

“We have a doctrine that has evolved and that we adapt because we are on alert earlier

, he specifies.

What is really more atypical is the incendiary pressure.

For this weekend of March 11 and 12, they were on their guard.

Their fears were confirmed with rapid and multiple outbreaks of fires.

Two fires in particular were difficult to control: on the heights of Grasse, in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey and Briançonnet.

The first fire broke out on Friday and required up to 145 firefighters and 72 machines to contain it and then extinguish it.

He devoured 20 hectares of scrubland.

Near the Grasse remand center, the risk of having to evacuate more than 600 prisoners was rumored for a time.

But the fire did not take that direction.

In Briançonnet, fumaroles appeared on Saturday afternoon.

This fire proved to be even more devastating since it burned 30 hectares for a covered area of ​​50 hectares.

The climatic conditions are not there for nothing.

First, the drought.

The Alpes-Maritimes have experienced a rain deficit over the past three months, which has placed the entire territory on alert with the first restrictions.

"We are facing the problem of extremely dry vegetation

," adds Xavier Wiik.

This plays on the speed of propagation.

The wind sped it up a little more.

This weekend, an orange alert was notified by the prefecture.

Winds reached 150 km/h in places.

It is precisely in the reliefs that the most violent gusts blew.

Where the fires started.

“Clearly, that was the aggravating factor.

This limited the action of our air resources”

, explains the commander.

Resemblance to summer fires

The planes engaged (two Dash and two Canadairs) carried out inefficient drops.

On Friday, they had to interrupt their maneuvers because of the wind.

Impossible and too dangerous for the pilots to fly over the inflamed area.

On the heights of Grasse, the firefighters had to face a fire creeping through the brush, specific to the phenomena of "winter fires".

In Briançonnet, the situation was more impressive.

Even aided by a few drops from the planes when the wind died down (two may have had a positive impact on the eight attempts), the firefighters had to deal with real flames.

"Yes, it looked like the summer fires"

, underlines the communication of the Sdis of the Alpes-Maritimes.

Read alsoA billion trees, Canadairs, PVs… Emmanuel Macron's plan to save the forest

Xavier Wiik evokes the rule of “three 30s”, corresponding to the criteria which can increase a fire in the summer season: 30% humidity, 30 km/h wind, 30 degrees.

Only the last point was missing, even if the mercury exceeded 20 degrees.

The outbreaks of fire could be linked to the fall of electrical cables due to the wind or to particular burning.

The Briançonnet area was also less accessible, which explains the larger area affected.

If this fire is no longer progressing, it remains under surveillance.

Hot spots remain and outbreaks of fire cannot be ruled out.

Monday morning, around thirty firefighters are still on site.

They are working on treating the edges.

Specialists from the helicopter intervention detachment will come to support them.

A drone will also fly over the area to take thermal camera readings.

The forces engaged in this fight are still very cautious.

And hopes, like the farmers, for rain soon in view of the coming summer.

Commander Xavier Wiik warns:

"yes, everything suggests that this summer will be at least as difficult as the previous one"

.

The 600 firefighters mobilized are already preparing to face the summer fire season... in winter.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-03-13

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