In the room are couples or single people. With young children, animals for others. “A lady is afraid to get her three cats out of her car”for fear that they take off. A couple needed milk for their baby, but volunteers were responsible for getting them. “I feel like I relive the floods that took place in Namur a few years ago”underlines Myriam. In his French adoption commune, “Help is organized, the villagers are very united”. Car “Everyone knows each other”. A meal was distributed Tuesday, when the first victims were hosted in the multipurpose room. Same thing this Wednesday. And probably for several days. “I come back from the room, where I offered my help. I saw people who had slept in camp beds.” What strikes the Namuroise are the faces of the victims. With defeated mines, she underlines. “People are not good.”
In the town of Paziols, telephone networks are currently not working properly. “Internet access is very limited. It is difficult to call, communications are not very good.” Even if Myriam “is not too aware of what’s going on” Apart from her town, she points out that many roads are currently blocked. “We are advised to lead so that help can circulate more easily and that the victims can evacuate faster.”
While the firefighters are still mobilized on the fire which traveled 16,000 ha in 24 hours, impacting fifteen municipalities, calls for solidarity are multiplying. In Paziols, as elsewhere, to support the survivors of this disaster.
Ghislain, from Verviers: “I have never experienced a fire as serious as this one”
“There, from my home, I see smoke and I hear the engines of Canada. The day before, this Tuesday evening, we could see the fire from my terrace.” Originally from Verviers, Ghislain Bertrand had never known such a situation. He who expatriated, five years ago, at La Livinière, a French commune located in the southwest of the Hérault department, about forty kilometers from fires, has already already known fires, “But not this magnitude, not as serious as this one”he confides to us. Last July, a fire ravaged 2,000 hectares of garrigues and conifers, “While we talk here nearly 16,000 hectares”. “If the wind turns, we’ll see what’s going on, but I’m not afraid. It is unfortunately usual in this region, but we have great well-armed firefighters to fight the lights.”
The smell of fire and ashes until Leucate beach, according to this resident of Wanze (near Huy)
Currently on a family vacation in Leucate, where he finished his stay this Friday, Frédéric Bouchat, from Wanze (near Huy), is not directly affected by the Mega Fire which ravages the region. The fire front was still found this Wednesday at forty kilometers as the crow flies, on the other side of the A9 motorway.
Tuesday, however, the tramontane gave vacationers an overview of the severity of the situation that was played further north. The wind charged an immense cloud of smoke which darkened the sky for part of the day. A persistent odor of burned floated in the air and ash even fell on the sand. Since then, the wind has changed direction, allowing the sky to free itself.
“Tuesday evening, as a precaution, while the fire seemed to go to this area, the Palme campsite – located just ten kilometers from Leucate – was evacuated”explains Frédéric.
Despite this, the atmosphere on the coast has remained relatively serene, he said. “Despite everything, it is still far away. Some are worried about the impact on nature, we talk about it with the neighbors. But I rather feel them fatalistic in the face of these fires. Others had to return today, but everything is blocked. I am with vacationers, the state of mind is not the same as that of the locals in my opinion. Here, the comments revolve more around mobility.”
Because as long as the A9 motorway remains closed, the trips in the area are almost impossible or, at best, very complicated, underlines the vacationer.
Julien, from Hannut (in the province of Liège): “Chaos on the roads to return to Belgium”
After fifteen days of vacation spent in Barcarès, 80 kilometers from the fire, Julien, his wife and their two children, domiciled in Hannut (in the province of Liège), have “Seen Tuesday evening a big cloud and ashes”. This family, whose rental ended this Wednesday, therefore left the scene as planned to take the direction of Belgium. On the return journey, just a few kilometers from the fires, the disaster is total. “In the distance, we can see six Canadian planes.” Calcinated trees along the roads are counted by tens. The return is chaotic: “We have traveled 52 km in almost 9 hours. We only go on the highway”explained the Hannutois this Wednesday, at the end of the day. Highway closed, evacuation of villages cause the roads on the roads.
