Nearly 6,000 people were evacuated five campsites and two motorhome areas of La Teste in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. The commune of the Arcachon basin has been affected by violent forest fires since Tuesday evening. At 9 a.m. this Wednesday, 1,400 hectares had already gone up in smoke. The mayor of La Teste, an evacuated camper and the boss of the campsite “The Blue Waves” testify on France Bleu Gironde.
600 “Blue Flots” campers evacuated
At the camping “The Blue Waves”, where the films of the Camping series were shot, 600 holidaymakers were evacuated around 3 a.m. Director Franck Couderc explains how his teams proceeded: “We knocked on all the doors, woke people up calmly, everyone left by car by road to the La Teste exhibition center. This evacuation was organized mainly by “precaution because the fire seems to be evolving towards Biscarosse but the smoke is getting closer. The most delicate thing was the evacuation and now we just have to wait. I have been doing twelve seasons and this is the first sometimes it happens to me but it went well” continues the boss.
I do not know when tourists will be able to return to the campsite
Campers were notably evacuated to the parking lot of the La Teste exhibition center and to Biscarosse (Landes). “I don’t know when tourists will be able to return to the campsite” explains Franck Couderc. They will not be able to return to the Flots Bleus this Wednesday evening according to Commander Laurent Dellac of the Gironde departmental fire and rescue service, who explained on France Bleu Gironde that the fire was “always evolving”. These violent fires particularly affected the mayor of La Teste: “We are going through a disaster, I am very affected, very touched. It’s unheard of. I flew over the burning massif in a helicopter yesterday, it’s impressive”.
“Thunderous Awakening”
Among these campers, William was woken up early this Wednesday morning: “Thunderous Awakening” he assures on the antenna of France Bleu Gironde “we had five minutes to load our things and head towards La Teste and get to safety in the exhibition car park”.
This vacationer is used to these big fires, he is from the Var : “I think they are going to make big drops of retardant and water. It is normal to have us evacuated so that the firefighters can do their superb job and then we can resume the aperitif because we are going to already be late this morning” smiles William who is taking his troubles patiently.