Bordeaux
On Sunday night, around 1,200 firefighters were preparing to battle the Gironde fire for the sixth night in a row. In Landiras, in the south of the department, the fire has burned more than 13,000 hectares since Tuesday. 70 kilometers to the west, near Dun du Pilat in La Teste-de-Buch, about 3,900 hectares of 2,000-year-old forest has been reduced to ash.
The same landscape around two fires. miles of rows of charred pines, smoke billowing from the sandy soil, and exhausted firefighters sometimes sleeping on the grass. “We have been fighting these two extraordinary fires for almost a week.”summed up Marc Vermeulen, director of SDIS 33, on Saturday.
On Monday, we will face the cumulative effect of high temperatures and renewed wind in the evening hours.
Mark Vermeulen, Director of SDIS 33
No casualties have been reported so far. A restaurant, three houses and cabins were destroyed in Casso, near La Teste-de-Buch. Towards the Dune du Pilat, firefighters prevented the fire from reaching the campsites along the dune. A barn and a house burned down in Guillos, south of Gironde.
On Sunday, at the end of the day, the authorities judged the situation “Not beneficial at all” in Teste-de-Buch and “very unfavorable” In Landiras. Therefore, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin decided to strengthen the measures implemented there. “Tonight, 3 additional aircraft will support the 6 aircraft already committed, bringing the committed fleet to 9 aircraft, i.e. a 50% increase in air resources. In addition, more than 200 additional firefighters will be working this evening with 11 heavy trucks.“, it is said in the press release of the ministry.
Firefighters have been battling adverse weather conditions since the fires broke out on Tuesday. gusty winds, fire creates its own wind at times, dry pines and oaks, high temperatures, high near 40°C expected on Monday. More than 16,200 people left their homes in the last six days to escape the flames and smoke. About 6,000 campers were evacuated around La Teste-de-Buch between Tuesday and Wednesday night, followed by 4,000 residents and holidaymakers from Cazo on Thursday afternoon.. Within a few hours that day, the blue sky darkened with thick smoke. “It was breathtaking– says Philip, who was evacuated with his son and grandchildren. pine bark ash was falling.’ This Kazoo resident describes a great horror. “When we got to the road, there was a big traffic jam until the exit roundabout. We said to ourselves “that’s right, we’re going there”.
Almost 6,000 people have been forced from their homes by Landiras since Tuesday. Motor convoys under the control of law enforcement make it possible to bring animals or medicine. None of the evacuated areas were accessible on Sunday evening.
In order to find an apartment, many of the victims were able to count on the solidarity of those around them, but also of the residents. Lists of contacts are circulating on social networks. The municipality of La Teste-de-Buch, which connected individuals with the evacuees with a spare room, even had to restrain certain outbursts of solidarity; “Thank you all for your solidarity, but there are no additional needs for individuals at this time.” he posted on his Facebook page on Sunday morning.
Long night
Residents take turns delivering food and water to the firefighters. The multi-purpose hall in Landiras has been assigned. Firefighters open their beds there, others sleep outside on mattresses. Volunteers come to support them. Christel, originally from Landiras, provided night duty for the firefighters. “They come back exhausted, blackened, it’s hard times for them”, he notes. On Sunday, four Canadair and two Dash planes, which spray the forest to delay the fires, took turns over the Gironde.
Since Tuesday, the department has had to deal with 122 fires. For Gironde President Jean-Luc Glazey (PS), the area has no resources. “SDIS funding depends on the 2002 law based on the population of the Gironde in that year. But since then we have gained 400 thousand inhabitants.
In addition, Jean-Luc Glaze and regional president Alain Rousset lament the absence of Canadair in the Gironde. When the fire started on Tuesday, planes arrived from Nîmes. “One can think that if they were nearby, the fire could have been brought under control faster.” assures the head of the department.
“The next forty-eight hours are going to be very important. On Monday we will face the cumulative effect of high temperatures and fresh winds in the evening.” said Marc Vermeulen. Firefighters were faced with a resurgence of the fire late Sunday afternoon “very cruel” South of Dune du Pilat. The flames jumped across the departmental road to reach La Laguna and Petit Nice ocean beaches. “We had more than a kilometer of fire swings”Lt. Col. Shavat lamented as he prepared for another long night.
SEE ALSO – Fires in the Gironde. there is an “accumulation” of “adverse” meteorological factors;
Source: Le Figaro
