The Mediterranean region is once again on the front line in the battle against forest fires. This Monday, the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Vaucluse will be placed on red alert for the third consecutive day by Météo-France, due to a “very high” risk of fires. Other departments such as theAude, the Pyrénées-Orientales, the Hérault, the Gard and the Var are on orange alert. This exceptional situation is due to a combination of several aggravating factors: a lack of rainfall, very dry vegetation, high temperatures and, above all, strong winds.
The prefectures have introduced strict measures in an attempt to prevent fires from breaking out. Access to woodland is prohibited in several areas, and human activities likely to cause a fire are strictly regulated. The wind, with gusts reaching up to 100 km/h in Roussillon, increases the risk of rapid spread should a fire break out.
Constant pressure on the emergency services and the environment
On the ground, the fire service is already working flat out. This weekend, in Sigean In the Aude department, a fire swept across 630 hectares before being brought under control on Sunday. Numerous fires have been reported along the entire Mediterranean coastline, straining the human and material resources of the emergency services. The risk is not only to people and property: the Mediterranean’s biodiversity, already vulnerable, is particularly threatened by these fires.
In the face of these growing risks, it is becoming essential to step up public awareness and prevention measures. The platform Forest Fires offers dedicated tools: the real-time fire map enables you to track the progress of claims, the fire risk map shows the daily risk level by area.
Respecting access restrictions, avoiding the use of fire and immediately reporting any suspicious fires are all actions that can save lives and protect our environment. This summer, more than ever, staying vigilant is a shared responsibility.