Understanding
FR-Alert, sirens, town halls : how you will be alerted
On the day a fire breaks out, official information will reach you through specific channels — starting with a loud alert on your phone, even if it’s on silent. Knowing how to recognise these alerts in advance means gaining those crucial minutes and avoiding the pitfalls of rumours.
Key points
- FR-Alert : a notification accompanied by a shrill sound on any phone within the danger zone — no registration or app required.
- An FR-Alert message is reads and applies herself : nature of the hazard, area, instructions. We do not dismiss it on the grounds of ‘checking it later’.
- The sirens (1 min 41 s, repeated 3 times): national alert signal → take shelter and find out what’s happening (radio, FR-Alert); do not ring the emergency services just to ‘find out’.
- Additional channels: door-to-door visits by police and firefighters, public address systems, the town hall (noticeboards, local text messages), radio stations (ici/France Info).
- Be wary of rumours on social media: check with official accounts (prefecture, town hall) or our verified cards.
FR-Alert: alerts straight to your pocket
Since June 2022, France has had an alert system based on cellular diffusion : in the event of a serious and imminent danger (forest fire, flood, industrial accident, terrorist attack, etc.), the prefect initiates the sending of a message to all mobile phones within the danger zone — both residents and holidaymakers passing through.
- No registration, no application : The technology (cell broadcast) reaches any compatible mobile phone (4G/5G) connected to the masts in the area.
- A distinctive shrill sound, which rings in most cases even in silent mode, accompanied by a full-screen notification.
- Operational content : nature of the danger, location, instructions (evacuate to…, stay indoors, avoid a particular route), official information channel.
- No personal data is not collected: the message is broadcast via the masts, not sent to your number.
Check now that your phone is compatible and that ‘government alerts’ are enabled (in the notification settings — they are enabled by default). On some older phones or those that are switched off, the alert won’t go through: that’s where the additional channels below come in — and where you can get in touch with the vulnerable people.
Sirens: the signal that nobody recognises any more
In the event of an immediate danger, the national warning network (sirens at town halls and industrial sites) broadcasts the national alert signal : three cycles of one minute and 41 seconds of modulated sound (rising and falling), separated by 5 seconds of silence. This is to be distinguished from the monthly test (held at midday on the first Wednesday of the month: a single cycle).
When the sirens go off ‘for real’:
- Take shelter inside a building (in the event of a forest fire: lockdown (unless instructed to evacuate).
- Find out more : FR-Alert, radio (here — formerly France Bleu — and France Info are the designated crisis radio stations; make sure you have a battery-powered radio), the Prefecture’s website and social media channels.
- Do not ring the emergency services to ‘ask what’s going on’ — the lines must remain clear. The end-of-alert signal: 30 seconds of continuous sound.
Other official channels
- Door-to-door canvassing and loudspeakers : Police, firefighters and council staff are patrolling the areas to be evacuated. If someone comes to your door and asks you to leave : you leave — the clip is here.
- The local authority : Many local councils have a system for making calls or sending text messages to registered residents (do sign up !), electronic display boards, and their Facebook page — which is also useful once the crisis is over (reception centres, water points, etc.).
- Approved media organisations : Radio stations such as France Info and France 3 are officially broadcasting instructions and updates.
- Forest Fire Maps : our reports verified in real time supplement the official information (location, developments) — they never replace a prefectural directive.
Rumours, fake accounts and far-fetched theories
Every major fire brings with it a wave of misinformation: old videos being dug up, imaginary ‘road closures’, and fabricated figures. Three rules:
- No evacuation order has been issued never just via a WhatsApp screenshot: check with FR-Alert, the prefecture or the town hall.
- Check the date and source a video before sharing it — sharing false information during a crisis diverts resources from the emergency services.
- If you suspect there is a fire near your home: our real-time map only displays reports that have been verified by moderators.
The risk changes every day. So do your reflexes.
Check the fire alert status for your department, keep track of current fires and report a fire via the Feux de Forêt mobile app.