140 firefighters from the Occitanie region are mobilized for the Frontignan fire

The fire in Frontignan in Hérault has been contained after burning nearly 320 hectares of forest.

There are 140 firefighters and 40 vehicles from the Occitanie region who are mobilized on the fire that broke out on Sunday between Gigean and Frontignan, in Hérault, reports France Bleu Occitanie on Monday August 19. These firefighters come from Haute-Garonne, Ariège, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, Lot and Aveyron. They are divided into two columns.

The fire has burned 320 hectares of forests stretching between Gigean and Frontignan. It has been contained since Monday morning, but the firefighters sent as reinforcements will remain in the area at least until Thursday, said Nicolas Morlans, departmental referent in Haute-Garonne for forest fires. “The daily watch from Météo France announces a strengthening of the wind, the tramontane and the mistral”which “raises fears of a very high risk of forest fires”he emphasizes. This is why human and material resources remain mobilized “as close as possible to the risk”In addition to firefighters from the rest of the region, 200 arrived from Bouches-du-Rhône to provide assistance.

This solidarity is organized well in advance of the summer fires. “Each department gives its capacity to provide human and material resources. The priority is to cover our usual risk and in addition, we give X men, but no more”explains Nicolas Morlans. The Haute-Garonne firefighters have already carried out around fifty reinforcements since 2016, according to him.

Firefighters are expecting a “risky day” for the forest fires in Hérault, Tuesday, explains on franceinfo Monday evening Colonel Jérôme Bonnafoux, spokesman for the Hérault firefighters (Sdis 34). The Frontignan fire is not “not yet completely under control, because we still had wind today, we had some gusts and we have hot spots which are still mobilizing nearly a hundred firefighters all night”the firefighter said.

The Hérault prefecture has classified three areas as “very high fire risk” for Tuesday. These are the hills of central Hérault, Minervois and Saint-Chinianais and the wine-growing plains of the heart of Hérault and coastal plains. It is forbidden to go to the massifs of Mont Saint-Loup, the Pierres Blanches forest, the Causse d’Aumelas and the hills of Moure, the Cirque de Mourèze and Montagne de Liausson.

Firefighters remain vigilant in Hérault with ten intervention groups deployed, surveillance using digital cameras and patrols, because the “weather conditions are unfavorable and conducive to the development of fires and forest fires”with heat, wind and little humidity in the air, according to Colonel Jérôme Bonnafoux.