The 2020 wildfire season is getting off to an extremely early start this year, with weather conditions that are not helping matters. Storm Ciara’s passage over France over the last two days, with locally violent winds on the Côte d’Azur and in Corsica, has fuelled numerous fires in the Mediterranean departments. The departments of Var, Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence have been affected by numerous fires breaking out over the last 48 hours. But it is in Corsica that the current situation is catastrophic.
Current situation:
ALPES-DE-HAUTE-PROVENCE DEPARTMENT 04:
A fire broke out yesterday in the commune of La Rochette, mobilising around 60 firefighters, four Canadair aircraft and one helicopter. The fire is now being doused and will remain under surveillance over the next few hours. It is estimated to have spread across around ten hectares.
VAR DEPARTMENT 83:
A bushfire broke out yesterday in the town of Hyères, mobilising around twenty firefighters as well as teams from the CCFF. Thanks to the rapid response of the emergency services, the fire was contained within an area of approximately 10,000 square metres.
ALPES-MARITIMES DEPARTMENT 06:
According to SDIS 06, nine firefighters were slightly injured in the fire at Saint-Vallier, which has so far spread across around 50 hectares and burnt about ten of them. The extent of the firefighters’ injuries is not yet known.
The fire was brought under control at midday and water-bombing operations are continuing. Active monitoring is planned for tonight.
In Gréolières, at this time, the fire is no longer spreading, but it has destroyed 3 hectares. Water-bombing operations will continue until nightfall. Vehicles will remain on site overnight to keep a close watch.
But it is in Saint-Auban that the situation is most complicated this Tuesday, in the early evening, with significant resources still being deployed there.
Rescue teams had to contend with very adverse weather conditions, including extremely strong winds, which are expected to ease off this evening, as the alert level in the Alpes-Maritimes has been downgraded from orange to yellow.
DEPARTMENT OF CORSICA:
Upper Corsica:
The fires in Pietracorbara (70 ha), Poggio-Mezzana (20 ha), Olmo (10 ha), Linguizzetta (3 ha) and Rutali (1.5 ha) mobilised a large number of firefighters. The fires have now been brought under control and will remain under observation over the next few days.
The fire in the municipality of Olmeta di Tuda has already burnt across 350 hectares. At the time of writing, it is still active but is no longer spreading. Nearly 350 people are currently deployed across the various fire sites (firefighters, civil protection units, officials from the Collectivité de Corse, gendarmes and police officers), as well as service providers (EDF, Orange, etc.).
The operation will be reinforced tomorrow with the arrival of four Canadair aircraft and 250 personnel (including 210 additional staff and 40 relief personnel).
The regional reserve (2 fire engines) will be mobilised. The crews will be relieved when backup arrives from the fire and rescue services of the Var, Gard and Bouches-du-Rhône departments.
Southern Corsica:
Bavella-Quenza fire:
The area affected by the Bavella fire is now estimated to cover more than 2,500 hectares of scrubland.
Four forest fire response teams (GIFF), comprising 60 firefighters and 16 vehicles, are providing protection for the village of Sari and the hamlet of Togna. The lockdown measures for residents remain in place.
Since the fire broke out, three contingents, comprising 180 firefighters from the south-east and Civil Protection training and response units (UIISC), have been reinforcing the personnel already on the island (SDIS 2A and 2B, UIISC5).
Météo France is forecasting a return to a ‘wind’ yellow alert from 9 pm and at least until tomorrow morning.
This improvement in weather conditions could enable four Canadair aircraft to be deployed as early as tomorrow morning.