Keystone-SDA
The big fire which devastated 13,000 hectares was “controlled” on Sunday in the south of France, a region particularly affected by a heat wave which is to intensify on Monday.
(Keystone-ATS) “Fire is now under control,” said an Aude prefecture manager Amélie Trioux, stressing that the mobilization of firefighters remained “total”.
During the night and Sunday morning, 1300 firefighters had to intervene to drown “some reactivations of small importance”, said the prefect of the department of Aude Christian Pouget.
Thirty-six houses were destroyed, others damaged, and more than twenty agricultural hangars burned, out of the 3000 bundles which were defended by the firefighters, according to the prefecture of Aude.
A death
A 65 -year -old woman died in her house, while a resident was seriously burned. Four other people were slightly injured.
In the ranks of firefighters, 19 were injured, one of which has undergone a head trauma.
According to the first elements of the investigation, the fire started on the side of a road. Investigations are underway to determine the causes of the fire and to establish any responsibilities.
Sunday, a hot wind blows on the Corbières, the Aude sector struck by the fire, making the air burning, while the temperatures already reach 37 ° C.
The heat wave initiated Friday leads on Sunday the southern half of the country, with 42 departments placed in orange a heat wave by Météo-France, the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in Jura and the Charente-Maritime in the Alpes-Maritimes, including Aude.
The heat wave will be intensifying on Monday, with temperatures “of an exceptional” level “very frequently higher” at 40 ° C in the southwest where 12 departments will be classified as a vigilance red heat wave by Météo-France, while the episode will “progress” in the rest of the country.
This is the second heat wave in the country after the episode from June 19 to July 4, and the 51st recorded since 1947. It requires “special vigilance especially for sensitive or exposed people,” said Météo-France.