GIRONDE FIRES. In Landiras and Teste-de-Buch, in Gironde, the flames are still gaining ground. 13,700 hectares of forest have burned in six days and the high temperatures announced this Monday, July 18, 2022 are likely to worsen the situation.
The essential
- In Gironde, the Landiras and Teste-de-Buch fires are still not under control this Monday, July 18, 2022. More than 13,000 hectares of forest have burned according to the Gironde prefecture9,800 in the south of the department and nearly 4,000 near the Arcachon basin.
- 1,700 firefighters and nine water bombers are mobilized in Gironde on July 18 to put out the fires. Yesterday evening, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced the strengthening of “means for fighting forest fires given the unfavorable evolution of climatic conditions. High temperatures and winds favor the progression of the flames.
- The fires in Gironde have led to the evacuation of 14,000 people since Tuesday July 12, 2022. In six days, the fires have caused no casualties.
- Follow the evolution of the situation live.
Live
08:21 – A “very high risk” day near the Gironde fires
This Monday, July 18 is a “very high risk” day near the two fires in Gironde, assured the departmental director of the SDIS of Gironde on France info. The fight of the firefighters against the flames promises to be difficult because of the climatic conditions: temperatures above 40°, a humidity rate below 10% and winds at 180° which will fan the fires and make them change direction. .
08:12 – In Landiras, the firefighters note a “progression of the fire on different fronts”
In Landiras, the firefighters noted “significant” resumptions of fires overnight from Sunday to Monday. In the early morning, the firefighters explained at the microphone of BFM TV that “the situation remains critical and is deteriorating, with fire progressing on different fronts due to changing winds. Work to create firewalls continues”.
08:06 – Fires favored by “the unfavorable evolution of climatic conditions”
The strengthening of resources for fire extinguishing operations in Gironde was announced last night by Gérald Darmanin. In a press release, the Minister of the Interior promised the arrival of three additional canadairs. The Minister shares the fears of firefighters who saw the fires resume in force on Sunday evening under the influence of heat and “360° winds”. Gérald Darmanin also called for “the greatest vigilance, in a context where the increase in temperatures and the dryness of the soil facilitate the emergence of new outbreaks of fires.”
Given the evolution of the situation with 360-degree winds, I have decided to strengthen the means of fighting forest fires in Gironde: as of this evening, 3 additional planes (9 in total), 200 firefighters ( 1700 in total) and 11 heavy trucks will be deployed. pic.twitter.com/wrkXI6PLbc
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) July 17, 2022
08:00 – 1,700 firefighters mobilized on the Gironde fires
The fires have resumed in force since yesterday, so the resources deployed on site have been reinforced: 1,700 firefighters are battling the flames this Monday, July 18, or 200 more than the day before. The number of aerial vehicles mobilized has also been revised upwards with nine water bombers flying over the fires against six yesterday.
07:55 – 13,700 hectares of forest burned in Gironde
The flames do not weaken in Gironde. The fires of Landiras, south of Bordeaux, and Teste-de-Buch, near the Arcachon basin, have burned nearly 13,700 hectares of forest according to the latest information for this Monday, July 18, 2022. The fires are starting again and are difficult to control despite the means deployed on site.
Learn more
Where are the fires that broke out in Gironde and where are they spreading to? First, a first traffic light is located in the west of the department, in the town of La Teste-de-Buch, near Arcachon, along the Dune du Pilat and the Atlantic Ocean. The fire is heading south, towards Landes and the town of Biscarosse. Further east, the second fire started from Landiras, 45km south of Bordeaux. There too, due to weather and wind conditions, the flames are heading south.
At this stage, the two fires that broke out in Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch (Gironde) did not claim a single victim. No one has been injured or died so far. Only the vegetation burned. These forest fires nevertheless led to the displacement of more than 14,000 people in the department.
The fires broke out on Tuesday July 12 at 3 p.m. around the towns of Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch, both located in Gironde. In La Teste-de-Buch, the start of fire is accidental, said the mayor of the town at the microphone of France Bleu Gironde, Saturday July 16, 2022. In Landiras, the cause is not yet known, but the criminal track is strongly considered by the investigators, indicated the parquet floor of Bordeaux, Friday July 15, 2022.