The department of Gironde, already affected by two "non-standard" fires which have ravaged more than 20,000 ha in twelve days, will once again be placed on red alert for the risk of fires in the forest, the prefecture announced on Sunday.
This return of the department to "very high" vigilance (level 4 out of 5) from Monday "and this, until further notice", was announced by the prefect Fabienne Buccio "in view of the weather conditions" while a new wave of heat settles in the country.
This measure has the effect of prohibiting the movement of people and vehicles with or without engine in the forest between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., suspending logging activities and silvicultural work between 2 p.m. recreational and sporting activities in the forest.
Red vigilance "forest fires" had already been activated from July 14 in Gironde, two days after the start of two "non-standard" fires which devoured a total of 20,800 hectares of forest in La Teste-de-Buch and in Landiras, forcing more than 36,000 people from their homes.
Four massifs inaccessible to the public
In a context of calm with falling temperatures, the prefecture then announced on Wednesday the demotion of the department to orange vigilance (for "high", level 3 out of 5).
The fire which burned 7,000 hectares of forest in La Teste-de-Buch, in the Arcachon basin, has now been "under control" since Friday but not yet extinguished, while in the Landiras sector, in South Gironde , where 13,800 hectares of pines went up in smoke, the disaster has been "fixed" since Monday July 25 but not yet "under control".
VIDEO.
Fires in Gironde: the damage seen from the sky
Four of the 25 forest massifs of the Bouches-du-Rhône will be inaccessible to the public on Monday due to a high risk of fire, indicated the prefecture of the department this Sunday: the Montagnette massif, already affected by the fires, the Rougadou , the Alpilles and the Chambremont.
In the remaining 21 massifs, access remains authorized but work is prohibited there after 1 p.m.
In addition, specifies the prefecture, the latter must "compulsorily be accompanied by a suitable extinguishing device (extinguisher, garden hose, etc.").
