Victor LOCHON / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Forest lights: the risk will be “high” or even “very high” in several departments this weekend. (Illustration of firefighters in intervention during a forest fire on August 22, 2022 near Hostens in Gironde.)
Fire-Météo-France calls for caution before the last weekend in July. The risk of forest fires will be ” pupil “ even or even “Very high” In several departments of the southern half of France on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July, alerts the forecaster in his Friday bulletin where he recalls that “The weather conditions strongly influence the departure and propagation of fires”.
As indicated by the cards published by Météo-France on Bluesky and that you can see belowthe Bouches-du-Rhône will be in red vigilance with forest fires on Saturday and Sunday days, with a risk “Very high” at the start of fire, given the return of the wind. For this reason, 23 of the 25 forest massifs in the department will be strictly prohibited from access, the prefect said in a press release.
In addition to the Bouches-du-Rhône, the Var will also be on Sunday in red vigilance with forest fires, said Météo-France. For Saturday, the department will only be placed on orange vigilance, but access to the Toulon Mountains and Sainte-Baume will already be prohibited.
Four departments in orange alertness this Saturday
For the day on Saturday, four in the departments in addition to the Var will be on orange alert: the Gard, the Pyrénées-Orientales, the Aude and the Vaucluse. These last two will remain at the same level of vigilance on Sunday, while the Gard and the Pyrénées-Orientales will be classified in yellow. Access to several forest massifs of these departments will be closed or strictly regulated all weekend.
On its site, Météo-France recalls the good reflexes in the event of departure from fire. The most important thing is to give the alert “By calling 112, 18 or 114 (hearing impaired)” and try to “Locate fire”. The forecaster then invites you to stay “Informed of the situation”to comply with the instructions of the town hall or the rescue and “Take shelter in a cleaned house while waiting for the rescue intervention”. Météo-France also recalls that “The car is not a safe shelter because it could burn”.
Since the start of the summer, the Bouches-du-Rhône have experienced dozens of fire starting and two very virulent fires. One traveled 750 hectares to the northern neighborhoods of Marseille, where he destroyed dozens of houses, and another in Martigues devoured 250 hectares of pine forest.
