After the fire
First steps to take after a fire: the crucial 48 hours
The fire has passed, and the urge to go home is overwhelming. But an area affected by fire remains dangerous for several days: the fire may flare up again, trees may be weakened, and infrastructure may be damaged. Here is the exact order of priority — safety first, preserving evidence next, and then taking the necessary steps.
Key points
- We’ll only go back once the authorities have reopened the area — never before.
- Ember-proof ring for 24–48 hours: gutters, hedges, woodpiles, garden sheds — an ember can smoulder for hours.
- Photos and videos of ALL the damage Before moving anything… don’t throw anything away until the surveyor has been.
- Water, gas, electricity: services will not be reconnected until checks have been carried out to establish whether the networks have been damaged.
- FFP2 face masks, gloves, sturdy footwear: ash and soot are irritating and can sometimes be toxic.
The return: when and how
- Please wait for official authorisation (town hall, prefecture, police). These areas remain closed for valid reasons: trees falling without any wind (‘chandelles’), downed power lines, flare-ups of fire, and damaged road surfaces.
- Get kitted out : high-top shoes with thick soles (ember-proof, studded, glass-resistant), work gloves, protective clothing, FFP2 mask — Cold ashes are still highly irritating, and combustion residues (plastics, wood treatments) can be toxic.
- First round away from home Before going inside: check the condition of the roof, look for heat-induced cracks in the walls, check for a tree leaning against the house, and check for the smell of gas. If you have any concerns about the structure, do not go inside — call in a professional or the fire brigade.
The ‘anti-embers’ patrol: 24 to 48 hours of vigilance
The majority of houses that are ‘discovered too late’ burn down because of a forgotten ember, sometimes 10 hours later the passage of the front line. Check and double-check, with a bucket or hose in hand :
Items to check every 2–3 hours on the first day
0 / 6Smoke reappearing, unusual heat ? Soak thoroughly ; if it goes beyond the bucket of water : 18 Without a doubt — firefighters would much rather be called out to put out an ember than to tackle a house fire.
Water, gas, electricity
- Gas : if you have turned it off, only turn it back on after visually checking the exposed pipes ; if you detect even the slightest smell, turn off all gas supplies, ventilate the area, do not switch on any switches, and call the gas emergency number (GRDF: 0 800 47 33 33).
- Electricity : Tripped circuit breaker + overheated cables or conduits = must be checked by an electrician before power is restored. Never touch an earthed cable outdoors.
- Water : following a major fire, tap water may be unfit for drinking (due to a drop in pressure or PVC pipes having heated up) : follow the local council’s instructions, run the taps for a long time, and use bottled water if in doubt.
Preserving evidence for insurance purposes
- Take photos and videos of everything, from a distance and then in detail, BEFORE moving, cleaning or disposing of anything — including the garden, fences, vehicles and trees.
- Don’t throw anything away Before the expert has inspected the item (or given their written approval) — even if it’s charred, an object proves it existed. Stack them neatly rather than throwing them in the bin.
- Interim measures OK : Cover a roof with tarpaulin, seal off an opening — keep the receipts, as they’re eligible for reimbursement. Carry out a permanent repair? NO, not before the surveyor has visited.
- Start theinventory item by item (the phone’s Notes app will do) : item, year of purchase, estimated value, photo. Details in insurance procedures.
What about the people?
- Persistent cough, headaches, tightness in the chest after breathing in fumes: seek medical advice — particularly if you are a child, a pregnant woman, or someone with asthma or a heart condition. Call 15 if you have acute symptoms.
- The emotional aftermath (shock, insomnia, irritability) is normal and common: the medical and psychological emergency support teams provide free assistance following incidents — don’t just wait for ‘it to blow over’.
- Food: throw away any food that has been exposed to heat or smoke (including dented tins and plastic bottles); a freezer that has remained closed during a power cut: a maximum of 48 hours’ grace period.
Make the area safe (by dealing with dangerous trees) but do not clear everything away before: 1) the photos have been taken and the insurance assessor has visited; 2) any local authority guidelines have been followed (some tree felling along roadsides is the responsibility of the local authority or the road operator). Burnt trees can be dealt with afterwards — see reconstruction & reforestation.
Notify the local council and, if you have them, provide their contact details. Take photographs of the condition of the property (this will help with the insurance claim); cover the property with tarpaulins if there is a risk of water damage and it is safe to do so, but do not go inside: only the owner, the emergency services or an authorised representative may do so.
Pure plant ash is a soil improver… but following a fire in a residential area, it becomes mixed with residues of plastic, paint and pesticides: do not eat any vegetables that have been exposed to it; remove the top layer from your vegetable beds and start again using clean growing medium.
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.