The two fires that have been burning in Gironde for more than a week have "very little progress" during the night according to a last report from the prefecture on Wednesday morning.
Update on the situation this Wednesday.
More than 20,000 hectares destroyed
The two fires have destroyed a total of 20,600 hectares of forest since July 12.
With 300 hectares destroyed overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, "the results are rather positive, the situation improved during the night but the two fires are still not fixed", warns Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Mendousse.
The fire located in Landiras, 40 km south of Bordeaux, ravaged 13,600 hectares of forest and that of Teste-de-Buch, in the Arcachon basin, destroyed 7,000.
A "quiet"
The prefect of Gironde and New Aquitaine, Fabienne Buccio, spoke Tuesday evening of a "lull".
“We were able to work on the defense against fire.
We were able to really refine, move forward, create major firewalls, ”welcomed the prefect.
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Fabienne Buccio also mentioned “cooler” weather which contributed to these advances, however deploring the absence of rain.
No new evacuation
During the night, no new evacuations were ordered and no casualties were reported.
“We are not planning any new evacuations,” confirmed this Wednesday morning the sub-prefect of Langon, Vincent Ferrier, during a press conference.
“The fire is progressing more slowly but we remain cautious,” he continues.
“We are going to continue our work, it must be done with a lot of lucidity and determination.
Everyone is very tired.
This fight against fire is collective”.
Since the start of the fires, nearly 36,750 people have been evacuated, said Tuesday evening the sub-prefect of Arcachon, Ronan Léaustic.
Macron expected
The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, is expected in Gironde on Wednesday afternoon.
During a situation update on Tuesday, the president asked to “continue the action taken to fight the fires in Gironde while increasing the national capacity for action for the weeks to come”, specified the Elysée.
As part of the investigation into the origin of the fire in Landiras, located 40 km south of Bordeaux, a 39-year-old Girondin was placed in police custody on Monday, extended until Wednesday afternoon.
Fires in other French regions
Fires broke out in several other departments of France, from Finistère to Vaucluse, via the Channel.
In Brittany, in the Arrée mountains, the fire which has ravaged hundreds of hectares of moorland since Monday was still in progress this Wednesday morning but its progress was slowing down, indicated the prefecture of Finistère.
“At this time, the progression of the fire is slowing down and the situation is under control,” she said in a press release giving an update on the situation at 8:00 a.m.
The burned area was 1,725 hectares at this time, compared to 1,700 hectares the day before at 5 p.m.
