The fires in Gironde have created their own wind and are going in all directions

This Tuesday August 9, at the very beginning of the afternoon, the fire which had ravaged some 15,000 hectares of Landes forest in Gironde last July unfortunately experienced a violent recovery. This morning the conditions remain unfavorable to the fighting forces. Heat and drought, sure. But also, a swirling wind that blows over the area. Because the fire of forest is so powerful that it creates its own environment. Its own wind. Making the fire progress, sometimes, in a completely unpredictable direction. As a result, according to the authorities, the fire is now progressing in all directions.

According to the latest reports, some 6,800 hectares of Landes forest have now gone up in smoke. A relatively small increase therefore during this last night compared to what had been observed the previous night. Thanks in particular to the fact that the fire has partly retraced its steps. Thanks also to the tactical burns implemented by the firefighters.

About 10,000 people were evacuated. And 17 houses have already been destroyed. L’A63 motorway is always closed to traffic.

Firefighters mobilized

But during the night, the more than 1,000 firefighters mobilized managed to protect all the threatened homes, especially on the side of Belin-Beliet. And this morning, no new evacuation is yet planned.

Contrary to what was envisaged yesterday, the criminal investigation technicians dispatched to the scene seem not to have discovered any element that leans in favor of a criminal origin at this Forest fire. And while Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin are expected on site this morning, elected officials and professionals are calling for more resources.

In total, since the start of the season, more than 50,000 hectares have already gone up in smoke in mainland France. A sad record since the opening of statistics from the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis).

Fires in Gironde: 10 football pitches burned per minute!

The fire that had ravaged the Landes forest in the Landiras sector, in Gironde, last July, has started again. In a particularly virulent manner. In less than 24 hours, 6,000 hectares went up in smoke. A figure qualified as historic.

Article of Nathalie Mayer released on 08/10/2022

On July 12, 2022, a Forest fire declared itself in the Landes forest. In Gironde. On the side of Landiras. Firefighters had struggled for more than a week to bring it under control. Some 15,000 hectares of pines had finally gone up in smoke. But it had never been totally extinguished.

Several minor outbreaks of fire had been reported since. And yesterday, Tuesday August 9, at the very beginning of the afternoon, the fire in the Landes forest unfortunately violently returned. In favor, according to the firefighters, of “very unfavorable” weather conditions. Between extreme drought of theair and vegetation, heat wave and wind. In the peat, hot spots have reactivated. Even if some of the 40 fire starts recorded could turn out to be the work of arsonists.

A historic fire

During the night, the fire destroyed 6,000 hectares of forest. “A historically high area”some commented. “The equivalent of ten soccer fields that disappear every minutesay the others.

Faced with the extraordinary virulence of this forest fire – which has now overflowed into the neighboring department of Landes – preventive evacuations were immediately ordered. Some 6,000 people left their homes overnight or this morning. A first assessment reported this morning of 16 houses destroyed by flames. Many roads have been cut. The A63 motorway, which connects Bordeaux to Arcachon, is now also partially cut off in both directions of traffic.

All the firefighters – around 1,000 at the start of the afternoon – and support personnel are mobilized to protect, as a priority now, human lives. Exhaustion – physical and psychological – begins to threaten…