The firefighters from Gironde spent the night fighting two huge fires which have already ravaged more than 1,700 hectares of forests. Preventive evacuations have taken place and national reinforcements are expected on site. No injuries were reported in the two sectors affected by these fires.
What is the situation in the very touristy Bassin d’Arcachon?
This Wednesday morning, the authorities carried out the preventive evacuation of five campsites, i.e. 6,000 people, while 700 hectares have already burned in Teste-de-Buch, a very touristic town in the Arcachon Basin. “All the campers were transported to the Parc des Expositions and to the Leclerc shopping mall in Teste-de-Buch”, specifies the prefecture of Gironde in a press release. A hundred motorhomes were also evacuated as a precaution. The Red Cross and Civil Protection volunteers are on site to support this evacuation. The departmental road D218 is cut between the Pilat roundabout and Biscarosse plage.
What instructions in Landiras?
In the Langonnais, 1000 hectares have already gone up in smoke in Landiras. “As a preventive measure, the authorities evacuated 5 hamlets and the village of Guillos last night. About 500 people have been brought to safety, ”says the prefecture. The D115 and D125 departmental roads are closed to traffic. The authorities are asking residents not to go to the various disasters so as not to hinder the action of the relief workers.
How can the situation evolve?
The weather conditions are considered unfavorable (swirling winds and rising temperatures) and the sandy terrain slowed the progress of the rescue.
In total, nearly 600 firefighters are engaged, with reinforcements from neighboring departments and additional national reinforcements expected this Wednesday morning. Two canadairs are deployed, as well as two Dash planes, which intervene in addition, refueling at Lake Cazaux. “These are major fires, not mega-fires,” the prefect told AFP, who had just flown over the area in a helicopter, referring to “a 5 km fire front” in the Landiras sector.
A few firefighters bothered by the fumes were taken care of by the SDIS health personnel on site.
We can already say that it is a black season that is shaping up for forest fires in Gironde since the areas burned have already exceeded or are close to the results of the most devastating years: 1,229 hectares burned in 2015, 1,278 in 2017 and 1,199 in 2021.