The fires in Gironde are still not fixed, even if the firefighters face better conditions. The next end, perhaps, of a fight lasting more than a week with serious consequences. There were 20,600 hectares of forest and 13,600 people evacuated at 9 p.m. on Wednesday July 20. Economic consequences also for the whole region, which is very touristy. While traveling in the region, in La Teste-de-Buch, Emmanuel Macron assured the professionals of the state support sector.
From our special correspondent to La Teste-de-Buch,
There are people, but we are clearly far from the crowd of a normal July. Arcachon beach is sparse, the fire scared away tourists, emptied hotels. Madame Pomaret manages the pergola, in the city center: “ For the past two days, we have been at thirty or more. Thirty cancellations over the week. »
It is very frustrating for Madame Pomaret: as impressive as it is, the fire does not affect Arcachon, where everything is normal. In La Teste-de-Buch, on the other hand, Mayor Patrick Davet draws a sad conclusion: “ Campsites, we don’t have any more, hotels, we have one. But you can’t go to the ocean beaches, you can’t go to the dune, you realize: the season is dead. »
Tourism professionals, campsite managers who now expect a lot from the State. They were able to meet Emmanuel Macron during his visit this Wednesday.
Emmanuel Macron on site visit
Emmanuel Macron in shirt sleeves facing the firefighters, police officers, volunteers, engaged against the fire of La Teste-de-Buch, came to thank them and already, to talk about the aftermath.
A woman also apostrophized him: Really, it was very hard for a week. The President of the Republic replied: There are insurers who are there, but there are also national systems which are there in the short term. We activated them during the crisis for your employees, for the loss of seasonal activity and we will help you rebuild. »
But the Head of State specifies: the reconstruction certainly, but differently, with prevention standards, because several campsites were not up to standard. As for the forest, we will do it again, he promises. But again differently. So that such a tragedy does not happen again.
The prevention standards will be reviewed, as for the technical means of fight, the aerial means in particular, it will be necessary to acquire new ones, announced the Head of State, while canadairs fly above the heads.
A few hundred meters from him, in the pine forest, the firefighters were still very numerous at the front to finally manage to fix the fire.
It’s a day where we are rather confident, even if we remain vigilant and concerned, the hydrometry is higher today, the weather seems less versatile than the previous days. The afternoons are generally, from the beginning, changeable…
The point of the sub-prefect of Gironde, Ronan Leaustic
This day of Wednesday confirmed the good momentum set in motion on Tuesday night, with milder weather conditions, but even after having mastered it, it will take several weeks to come to the end of the very many pockets where it continues to burn.
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