Firefighters in Gironde, supported by reinforcements from neighbouring departments and across the country, have been battling two fires since Tuesday 12 July, which have so far burnt nearly 20,300 hectares of forest in Gironde.
There are some notable results to highlight this evening. Thanks to the significant ground and air resources deployed (2,000 firefighters, 8 Canadair aircraft, 2 Dash aircraft), the spread of the fires has been contained.
Today marked the first time in five days that we were able to carry out marking work, establish new support lines, treat sections of the edges and carry out work to widen the various existing support lines around the different work sites.
A total of nearly 36,750 people were evacuated. No one was seriously injured.
La Teste-de-Buch
- 7,000 hectares of forest were burnt in La Teste-de-Buch.
- More than 20,000 people have been evacuated in total since the start of the crisis.
- The firebreaks created by the DFCI and the ONF, with support from forestry companies and bulldozers provided by the army and private firms, have proved effective in halting the spread of the fire.
- The operational command centre is now set up at the racecourse.
- Recreational boating on the western part of Lake Cazaux-Sanguinet, as well as boating and mooring in the area around the southern entrance to the Arcachon Basin, remain prohibited. The decrees are available on the Prefecture’s website.
- The D218 departmental road remains closed between the Pilat roundabout and Biscarosse-Plage.
Landiras
- 13,300 hectares were burnt in Landiras, in the Langon district.
- There were no casualties. Only one detached garage was destroyed.
- The authorities carried out precautionary evacuations in the municipalities of Saint-Léger de Balson (around 300 people) and Saint-Symphorien (around 2,000 people) to prevent the population from being exposed to risk.
- Forestry work is currently underway to prepare for and establish support areas for the fire service in the event that the fire takes a turn for the worse.
Vensac
- The fire broke out at 8.45 pm yesterday and quickly spread to the treetops.
- He covered a total of 80 hectares.
- A campsite and a nearby hamlet were evacuated, involving a total of 550 people.
- Ten water drops were carried out by aircraft diverted from the other two fires until the end of the aviation night.
- 20 ground-based assets were deployed.
- There were no casualties.
- The fire has now been put out.
Many roads remain closed. The list is available on the department’s website:
https://www.gironde.fr/deplacements/inforoutes#incendie-gironde
If you have any questions, please contact the public information unit, which can be reached on: 0800 009 763 from 8 am to 8 pm.