A start from fire Tuesday at 4 p.m. and already 15,000 hectares traveled, according to a report released in the early afternoon, this Wednesday. Less than 24 hours after its start, and while it is still not mastered, the fire in Aude has been the most important in France since 1976, reports the Ministry of Ecological Transition, in a press release. “Only a fire, which occurred in 2022, had exceeded 10,000 hectares since 1976,” he wrote.
The fire that broke out in Ribaute before spreading “alone represents the equivalent of all hectares who burned respectively in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024 and double 2023,” continues the ministry. And to support: “It is therefore an exceptional fire that illustrates the extent of the consequences of climate change. »»
According to figures from the forest fire database (BDIFF), managed in particular by the government, no fire has traveled as many hectares in France for at least 20 years (Data before 2006 is not available for all of France, but only for the Mediterranean area). The first fire of Landiras (Gironde), in mid-July 2022, had traveled 12,552 hectares. In all, nearly 25,000 hectares had been traveled in Gironde in the summer of 2022, but in three separate claims.
Then come the fire from Vidauban (Var) in 1990 (11,580 hectares) and collobrières (Var) in August of the same year (9,600 hectares).
The first importance fire listed in the 21st century, behind those of Landiras and Aude, was that of Gonfaron (Var) in 2021: he had traveled 6,832 hectares and two people had lost their lives. In 2003, the town of Vidauban had already been affected by two magnitude fires, but identified in twice by the Bdiff: a first on July 17 (6,744 hectares traveled), a second on July 28 (5,646 hectares).
In August 1949, a fire from a sawmill in the south of Bordeaux (Gironde) had ravaged 50,000 hectares in a few days, killing 82 people. These were mainly waters and forest agents, volunteer firefighters and soldiers who came to fight the flames. He remains one of the deadliest in France.
“The fire will continue to progress”
This time, in the Aude, the fire spread to an exceptional speed. A look favored by large gusts of wind Tuesday evening, some reaching 60 km/h, drought on the ground and a humidity level less than 25 %.
This Wednesday, gusts of wind at “40 km/h” were still observed, according to the statements this Wednesday around 10:15 am from the chief of the Aude firefighters, Colonel Christophe Magny. “Fire will continue to progress through these extremely dry plants,” he said.
A woman died overnight. 65 years old, this resident “did not want to get out of her house”, according to the declarations of the mayor of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse Xavier de Volutat. ” Yesterday (mardi) At 5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m., the gendarmes, with a municipal councilor, went around all the houses to evacuate the two districts which were under the threat of the flames, “launched the councilor. Regretting that the victim loses life “under these conditions”.
