Action sheet — Before the fire
Create and register a water supply for firefighting purposes
Swimming pool, rainwater tank, borehole: an accessible water supply can enable the fire brigade to protect your home when fire hydrants are far away or out of service — and provides you with enough water to douse the embers once the fire has passed. However, it must be known about, accessible and properly equipped.
Key points
- An accessible swimming pool = 40 to 80 m³ ready to be pumped by emergency motor pumps.
- Report it: visible sign + voluntary registration at the town hall, where available.
- Access takes precedence over volume: a vehicle or motorised pump must be able to get within 4–6 metres of the water’s edge.
- For self-sufficiency: a dedicated 10 m³ tank + a petrol-powered pump = guaranteed protection against embers.
Equipment: ‘Water reserve’ sign · motorised pump + hoses (optional) · symmetrical fire hydrant connection (optional for tank)
Why it’s important
In a forest fire, there’s never enough water: hydrants are few and far between in open country, the queue of water tankers stretches on, and every minute spent refuelling is a minute without a hose. A private reserve well-known and accessible It makes a real difference at a local level — the regional fire and rescue services (SDIS) state this explicitly, and some departments are compiling a list of swimming pools that have volunteered to help. Once the front has passed, this will also be YOUR reserve for the anti-ember ring, when the public network is down or has been taken over.
How to do it, step by step
Assess your potential
Swimming pool (including sturdy above-ground pools), rainwater harvesting tank, borehole with pump, pond: any accessible volume of 5 m³ or more counts. Please note the volume and access.
Ensure the approach
A stable path extending up to 4–6 metres from the water’s edge for a portable motor pump, ideally with vehicle access (see fire brigade access). Clear any obstacles from the pool edges and surrounding area.
Report the reserve
Sign reading ‘water reserve – swimming pool’ visible from the road; call 112 if you are in danger (‘60 m³ swimming pool, accessible from the south side’); register with the local authority’s emergency register where one exists (call the town hall).
Get kitted out for self-sufficiency (optional)
Petrol-powered fire pump (electric ones stop working when the power goes out), 20 m of hose, single nozzle: enough to wet the surrounding area before the fire spreads and to douse the embers afterwards. Test it at the start of every summer.
Consider using standardised fittings (tanks)
For a dedicated DFCI tank, a symmetrical fire service-type connection (DN 65/100) allows vehicles to be connected directly. Your SDIS can specify the local standard.
The mistakes that ruin everything
- The swimming pool hidden behind a hedge, which nobody knows exists — not even the emergency services.
- The winter cover was still in place in July: it could not be used in an emergency.
- The electric motor pump, which is connected to the mains supply, will cut out on that very day.
- Relying on your reserves to defend your home against the front: we’re in lockdown, and the reserves are needed BEFORE and AFTER.
The tip that makes all the difference
A roller shutter for your swimming pool? Set it to open in the event of an alarm and make sure you know how to open it manually: a closed shutter renders the pool unusable, and it will melt anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.