More than 900 plane-backed firefighters were deployed on Friday to battle a massive blaze in France’s southern Gard region that burned 600 hectares (1,500 acres) overnight.
“This fire is far from over, there are fronts in hard-to-reach areas that we haven’t addressed that are advancing freely,” said Eric Agrinier, a senior firefighter.
“It will be a tour de force.”
Firefighters worked into the night after the fire broke out late Thursday, laying backfires to protect populated areas.
“We’re burning some parts (of the forest) so as the fire spreads, it reaches an already burned zone and slows down, making it easier to stop its advance,” said Jacques Pages, who faced a line of flames the pitch-black forest.
The blaze, described by rescue workers as a “mega-fire,” started near the village of Bordezac, forcing evacuations from nearby Besseges and other settlements on Thursday evening.
The local prefect’s office said around 100 people had to be housed in holiday homes and restaurants in the area, which is about 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Montpellier and the Mediterranean coast.
“I’ve found rooms for people, and all cottages do the same,” Regine Marchand, manager of a restaurant in nearby Aujac, said Thursday night.
“We made them pasta, people quickly left without bringing anything, but they keep their spirits up, there’s a good atmosphere.”
As of Friday, people’s homes were no longer in danger, with only a garage and a small hut damaged.
The fire department of the Gard region announced on Friday morning that 13 firefighters were slightly injured.
In addition to ground personnel, two planes have been dumping water since early morning.
On Thursday, the air operation had expanded to 12 firefighting aircraft and two helicopters.
Roads were closed to traffic into the Besseges area while hundreds of firefighters remained on the scene, some from neighboring regions.
– Drought increases risk –
Like much of the country, south-east France has suffered from drought this year, which has increased the risk of fire.
During a seasonally unseasonal heatwave last month, around 600 hectares were burned in a fire sparked by shelling at an army artillery range near the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.
Firefighters in this Bouches-du-Rhône region were called to 35 outbreaks on Thursday, many near populated areas.
Four houses were destroyed near the southern city of Arles and 250 firefighters were called to a bushfire in Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts.
Although several other fires broke out in southern France on Thursday, most were extinguished before dark.
Firefighters said thousands of acres of wooded land were at risk as wind gusts up to 80 km/h (50 mph) fanned the flames through the parched trees.
Wind is “firefighters’ worst enemy,” Lt. Col. Agrinier said.
#firefighters #fight #mega #fire #southern #France
