Thefire in progress in the mountainous area of Die and Barsac, in the Drôme, continued to spread during the night of Sunday 5 to Monday 6 July. The fire has now spread across 450 hectares, an increase of around 100 hectares overnight. At this stage, no homes are under threat. Emergency services are monitoring two critical areas: Barsac and the Solaure plateau. The fire is affecting the Justin massif, at Die, for several days now. The fire started on 24 June following a lightning strike, and reignited due to the high temperatures and wind.
Fire in Die and Barsac: two areas where the fire is spreading are being monitored
The flames are spreading mainly in two directions. According to the town of Die, the first front is moving towards Barsac. In this area, the authorities have evacuated residents from the hamlet of Viopis as a precaution.
The second team is making its way towards Ausson, via Beaufayn. The emergency services are also monitoring the risk of the fire spreading towards the Solaure plateau. The terrain is making access to the mountain range difficult and slowing down the work of the teams on the ground.
300 firefighters deployed in the mountain range
Around 300 firefighters are battling the blaze. The emergency services have been joined by the Helicopter Rescue Detachment (DIH). These helicopters transport rescue workers as close as possible to the incident sites.
The teams are also creating new access routes to make it easier to reach the mountain range. These new routes are intended to help machinery and emergency response teams reach the most difficult areas.
The weather is making the situation worse
The The weather is set to remain unsettled this Monday, 6 July. Temperatures are expected to exceed 35 °C. Winds may also reach up to 60 km/h in gusts.
These conditions are helping the flames to spread. Emergency services therefore remain on the ground to prevent the fire from spreading towards Barsac, Ausson and the Solaure plateau.
PHOTO: TOWN OF DIE