Fires in the Aude. “This fire was inevitable! », Annses an experienced winemaker in the sector

Owner of Château Lalis in Ribaute (hears) Since 2002, Philippe Estrade, 54, has been at the front of the fire that started a few hectometers from his home on Tuesday August 5. More than 3 days after the beginning of the claim, this native winemaker of Aude Don’t take off.

“Bad party”

Requested by Actu.frthis connoisseur of the Audois wine world quickly understood that this fire was not like the previous ones. “A neighbor thought he saw smoke and called me. I warned the firefighters as well as the mayor of Ribaute. We blocked traffic, but very quickly, I knew it was off to a bad start, ”said the business manager, remembering the first minutes that followed the start of the fire on Tuesday, August 5.

In just 15 minutes on site on Tuesday in Ribaute, we knew, I knew we had lost the war against this fire!

“From the first minutes, this fire had a delusional characterdéjà too powerful“, Continues the fifties, ensuring that she is” probably marked for life by Panicked eyes the pale face of my neighbor vineyard. There, he like me, we both understood that it was already too late, even with the first passages of the Dash and the 8, 9 Canadians ”.

It is a leitmotif in the vineyard’s words. The courage and determination of hundreds of firefighters engaged
To save what could be, marked it.

“In the absence and awaiting gendarmes and firefighters, we go to the scene to report to motorists that the road will be dangerous. The time to signal to two cars, our position is untenable, the car may grill, the pines light up like torches.

“We benefited from two Canadian Passages from the first hours. This is what saved the house and that of the neighbors. Mas that was not enough to save the grounds on the other side of the hill (around and in the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, Editor’s note) ” details Philippe Estrade.

“All lost”

For hours, the man did not leave his land. He saw the flames go through this territory which he cherishes so much.

Now fixed, the fifties draws up a first assessment of the disaster for its own activities. “For Château Lalis, I have 45 hectares of vines . I did not control everything but at first, 5 of them are very damaged or even
Impossible to harvest in the coming weeks ».

Prime Minister François Bayrou has a very personal way to see the drama that has played here. He puts this on the account of fatality. This notion does not have to be. It is an abandonment that has been undergone for years, on the part of elected officials who are only in instantaneity and without long -term vision. This is this vision we need and that we should have benefited!

Recognizing being “rather relieved” after this first inventory, the boss recognizes that he is “particularly worried, dismayed for the situation experienced by some of my neighboring winegrowers. Some have All lost, land as technical material ».

“An inevitable fire”

The fifties assures that it will “spend the whole day to travel, to control its vineyards Then go and support its viticultural neighbors ”. It was by far that he attended the arrival of François Bayrou and Bruno Retailleau on Wednesday August 6 a few kilometers from his domain.

“I could have gone there. I was offered it several times, but I stayed on my land. It saved me from going to tell him unpleasant
Assess the winemaker.

This fire is the monster from their objections. These same objections, particularly on the water which prevent us from working properly for years.

No fatality

Colleagues brought him the words of François Bayrou and Bruno Retailleau. If he has no opinion on the latter, the attitude and speech of the tenant of Matignon irritated him.

“When he came here, François Bayrou skillfully introduced a concept of fatality which clearly does not have to be. We all knew here this possible fire. There is only them (in government, note) who did not know it. There was A abandon
of this area of the Aude and son agriculture“, Certifies Philippe Estrade.

Water is life. It’s stupid to say but it’s relentless. Without water, we burn.

“This fire was inevitable. We have been waiting for aid and we have been waiting for a warning in particular a Concrete plan on waterand its adduction. We had nothing. We are prevented from working properly and being able to have land in good condition. This is what happens, ”argues the fifties.

The man remembers a conference organized by the State services in December 2023 devoted to water in the Corbières. This has not allowed any progress.

They (the elected officials of which F. Bayrou) must roll up their sleeves, stop being in the moment. They must listen to us and accompany us. They must lift all blockages and finally authorize the sites that must be made for water throughout our territory. They have work.

“By dint of multiplying objections, delaying sites, postponing water supplies which would however be vital, we arrive at land in this state and it ends with fires like that,” says the winegrower.

Quirky harvest, if possible

“What reassures me, these last hours is that my opinion on the water is shared. A broad consensus on this theme exists. It is shared and relayed by eminent colleagues including Gérard Bertrand, ”says the fifties.

Now fixed but still far from being mastered this mega fire will however occupy the spirit of the Audois winegrowers still for many months.

« We will not give up our arms. Here, all the winegrowers know each other. We are united between us. We have access to our lands again since Thursday evening, ”says the operator Audois.

Now, he as his colleagues will get up his sleeves and work hard to never relive again the 96h he has just lived.

“As of this Friday evening, August 8, and in the coming days, I will help my friends. We will surely shift part of the harvest planned for some colleagues. We must see everything that can be done as imagined before this fire and all that we will have to postpone, ”concludes, pragmatic, Philippe Estrade.

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