Two fires that have been burning since Tuesday afternoon in Gironde have destroyed nearly 1,000 hectares of forest, a situation exacerbated by the heatwave currently affecting France for the second time in a month, with seven departments now on orange heatwave alert.
The two fires currently burning in Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch have destroyed more than 2,700 hectares, according to a statement from the fire service. 600 firefighters are currently working to bring them under control.
90 per cent of fires are caused by human activity, explains the Ministry for Ecological Transition, “whether caused by economic activity (construction sites, farming, etc.) or everyday activities (cigarette ends, barbecues or campfires)”. “The majority of these man-made fires are caused by carelessness and dangerous behaviour, on the part of both tourists and local residents. They could therefore be prevented by adopting the right habits in everyday life,” the ministry points out.
To prevent a devastating incident, it is advisable, amongst other things, to have barbecues or light fires away from vegetation, to dispose of cigarette ends in an ashtray, and to carry out any work away from vegetation.