Fire risks: access to forest areas prohibited in several departments

In Corsica, Bouches-du-Rhône and Var, very high temperatures are causing fire risks this Friday, August 2. Certain outdoor activities are prohibited and several forest areas are closed to entry.

Due to high temperatures and drought, the risk of fires is high in France this Friday, August 2. The departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, as well as nine other departments, have been placed on orange alert for heatwave by Météo France, with temperatures expected to rise to nearly 40 degrees.

To avoid any risk of forest fires, the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture has chosen to prohibit access to several forest areas, such as the Chaîne des Côtes, Lançon, Les Roques, Pont de Rhaud, Quatre Termes, Concors, Trévaresse, Arbois, Côte Bleue. For its part, the Var has closed access to aux Maures and la Sainte-Baume, as well as two motorway service areas, those of Suvé du Vent and des Lauvets on the A57.

Firefighters as reinforcements in Corsica

In Corsica, around sixty firefighters from the Hautes Alpes and Haute Provence have arrived on the Isle of Beauty for at least five days to deal with the “very high” risk of fire in the far south of Corsica, and “high” in the rest of southern Corsica and the western coast of the island, reports France Bleu. Any leisure activity in a natural environment and work such as tarmacking, welding or grinding are prohibited. For the moment, access to forest areas is not prohibited, but it is recommended to avoid going there. As every year, from June 15 to September 30, it is prohibited to light a fire and smoke in forests, moors, scrubland and massifs, recalls the prefecture of Corsica.

A fire broke out on Thursday, August 1 in the Saint-Antoine area, before being brought under control by firefighters.

Temperatures are expected to drop in the coming days after this heatwave from Spain passes.