A risk area. Some 150 hectares of vegetation burned Monday in a fire in the town of Istres, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, where around 700 firefighters were still fighting the flames in the afternoon, firefighters said.
"There were no evacuations," said a spokesperson, specifying, shortly before 5 pm, that the fire was "still active" in this town located about fifty kilometers west of Marseille, near several ponds.
🔴 [# Operations] #FeuxDeForet commune #Istres almost 700 firefighters present. About 150 hectares destroyed. #very virulent fire and still active
⚠️ Avoid the area
🚨 Allow it to pass
➡️ Evacuate only on order. Your house protects you if it is under traditional construction. pic.twitter.com/YlaHVA1jFB
Firefighters fight against the fire which is fueled by a strong wind, and protect homes. “Avoid the area […] Evacuate only on order. Your house protects you if it is under traditional construction, ”they said on Twitter.
All of the 24 Bouches-du-Rhône massifs have been placed at “very high fire risk” since this weekend because of the heat and wind, which means in particular a ban on access for the public.
On the night of August 4 to 5, a fire ravaged more than 1,000 hectares in a very touristic area of Martigues, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, which required the evacuation, including by sea, of several hundreds of people.