🔥 A bushfire has been burning since 5.30 am on Tuesday 4 February in the municipality of QUENZA, in southern Corsica
11/02 ... ⚠️ Bavella fire – Containment measures in the village of Sari ... The strong winds that have been blowing since this morning over the mountains and the island’s eastern coast have caused the Bavella fire to reignite; it is now spreading towards the village of Sari ... Emergency services have been redeployed to ensure the protection of property and people ... ❗️The head of rescue operations has ordered a lockdown of the village of Sari and the hamlet of Togna. The Corsican Gendarmerie is informing residents door-to-door. Pupils at Solenzara School are safe within the school premises... Access to the village of Sari via the RD 268 and 68 roads has been closed to traffic to facilitate the movement of emergency services... Further reinforcements from the mainland will arrive on site later this afternoon... 🔴 Please observe the lockdown: your home is your best protection; keep doors and shutters closed... If necessary, only evacuate on the orders of the authorities; do not leave your home of your own accord... If you feel you are in danger, contact the fire brigade (18)... Do not put yourself in danger by travelling on the affected roads,
Please follow the instructions given by the emergency services and the police
10/02 ... A major flare-up of the fire due to the strong winds currently sweeping across Corsica.
09/02 ... The fire has been brought under control; a monitoring team will remain in place due to the forecast of strong winds. Furthermore, GIFF personnel from the mainland are expected to arrive on Monday morning to be pre-positioned on the island
08/02 ... Still deployed are 11 GIFF personnel from Corsica, the UIISC5 and reinforcements, two DIH groups, a pioneer group and an engineering works group manned by the CdC’s forestry sappers; a specialist tactical fire and controlled burning unit, and a medical support team are working tirelessly on hotspots that still stretch for 20 km. Aerial resources also remain in place, comprising 3 Canadair aircraft, 1 Civil Protection helicopter and, since yesterday afternoon, 2 HBE aircraft. Officers from the National Forestry Office, forestry technicians from the DDTM and the gendarmerie are also mobilised alongside the fire brigade.
7 February … The reinforcements that arrived from the mainland on 5 February (firefighters from Marseille, firefighters from Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes) left Corsica from Bastia at 8.00 pm this evening ... The DIH units from the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var, and personnel from the Forest Fire Engineering Commando (Cogefo) from the Gard will take over tomorrow. A Dash aircraft will also land at Solenzara Air Base in the morning
06/02 ... The fire covers an area of around 1,500 hectares; 330 men and women are on site, along with 4 Pelicans ... tomorrow, 2 Pelicans and 2 HBE aircraft will be at the scene
05/02 ... 1,100 hectares of vegetation burnt; 350 personnel and 100 vehicles, two Civil Protection helicopters, and four Pelicans (which had carried out 80 water drops) were deployed today
19:30 ... More than 1,000 hectares destroyed, according to the latest figures
17:00 ... Almost 500 hectares of vegetation have been burnt; more than 200 firefighters from the two departments of Corsica and UIISC 5 are on the scene ... The fire does not currently pose a threat to any homes ... Tomorrow, two columns from the mainland (departments 04, 13 (firefighters and BMPM) and 83) are expected to be on the ground from the morning, and, conditions permitting, aerial resources from Nîmes will be deployed.
14:00 ... 350 hectares burnt; around 200 firefighters, UIISC 5, the Forest Fire Brigade and 126th Air Base are on the scene; aerial resources are unable to operate due to poor weather conditions (strong winds)
By 10.00, around 50 hectares had already been burnt, with gusts of wind reaching up to 120 km/h in places, and the fire is heading towards the village of Solaro
Canadair aircraft have been called in as reinforcements from the mainland; 50 SPs are on the scene; UIISC 5 from Corte is also involved
Photo: Corse-Matin