Stage 2 — Responding
During a fire: life-saving actions
When a forest fire is approaching, the right decisions have to be made within minutes — and they cannot be improvised. This section sets out the official guidelines for each situation: at home, in the car, out in the countryside, and when with vulnerable people. Please read before to need it.
Key points
- The number one danger is smoke — not the flames. You can protect yourself from it inside a solidly built building or a vehicle, but never by running away from the fire on foot.
- A house with the undergrowth cleared away provides shelter: the fire will spread in a matter of minutes. Stay indoors rather than fleeing at the last minute.
- Evacuations should only take place on the instructions of the authorities (FR-Alert, door-to-door announcements, loudspeakers) or well in advance; never in a panic.
- Alert : 112 or 18 (114 by text message). Please specify the location, size of the fire, wind direction and any hazards.
- Keep the roads clear for the emergency services: no onlookers, no drones (they ground the Canadair aircraft).
Raising the alarm – quickly and effectively
Do you see any suspicious smoke? Don’t wait for ‘someone else’ to call: the first few minutes are crucial. Dial 112 (or the 18th ; the 114 by text message (for deaf or hard-of-hearing people) and please state:
- Where : town, hamlet, road, landmark — or the GPS coordinates from your mobile phone.
- What : smoke or flames, colour, estimated width, vegetation affected.
- How is it developing? : wind speed and direction, direction of propagation.
- Who is at risk? : homes, campsites, walkers in the vicinity.
Next, Report the fire via the Feux de Forêt app : Once verified by our teams, your report alerts local residents in real time. It complete It can never replace calling for help.
Your situation, your instructions
Staying at home
Why a well-prepared home is the best shelter, and a step-by-step guide to lockdown (shutters, ventilation, damp washing, etc.).
Read Evacuation orderEvacuation: what to take, where to go
When are we setting off, what are we taking, which way are we going — and the family plan to make sure no one gets left behind.
Caught in the car
Cars offer better protection than we realise — provided you follow the right procedures: where to stop, ventilation, and safety warnings.
Read Out in the countrysideOn a hike or a camping trip
Spot the danger early, choose a safe area, and know what you must never do (run downwind, run up a slope).
Read Mutual aidVulnerable people
Older people, people with disabilities, children, animals : plan ahead for them, and help them without putting yourself at risk.
72-hour emergency kit
A complete list of what you need to be able to grab within 5 minutes if an evacuation order is given.
ReadWhat to do on the big day, step by step
Make sure you call 112
The call script that speeds up the emergency response.
Read 10 minsInsulate the house
A timeline of the lockdown.
The family plan
5 decisions to make BEFORE — template included.
Read ExpectedAnimals in shelter
From cats to herds: never kept in.
ReadLockdown or evacuation: how the decision is made
That’s THE question — and the official answer is clearer than you might think :
You’ll have to self-isolate if…
- No evacuation order has been issued and the fire is already closing in: taking to the road at the last minute is the deadliest scenario.
- Your house is a solid-built property and the surrounding area has been cleared of undergrowth — the fire front will pass by in a matter of minutes.
- The roads are blocked, congested or filled with smoke.
You should evacuate if…
- The authorities are ordering it (FR-Alert, police going door-to-door, loudspeakers): we’re leaving immediately, no questions asked.
- You’re leaving well ahead, before the fire threatens the main roads — for example, as soon as a major fire is reported a few kilometres downwind.
- Your home offers no protection: mobile homes, caravans, bungalows, garden sheds — these structures burn to the ground; you can never stay in them.
Throughout the crisis
- Get your information from reliable sources : FR-Alert, France Bleu / ici, France Info, the Prefecture’s official accounts — and the real-time maps Forest Fires.
- Keep the roads clear for the emergency services : Never go to ‘watch the fire’. Every onlooker holds up a fire engine.
- No drones : a recreational drone in flight = water-bombing aeroplanes and helicopters grounded. It is an offence, and lives are at stake.
- Telephone : Keep calls short; use text messages instead to free up the network for emergency services. This saves battery life (switch to aeroplane mode if the network becomes overloaded).
- Help your neighbours : Ringing the doorbell at your elderly neighbour’s house can make all the difference — see vulnerable people.
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.