A red watch “until further notice”. The department of Gironde, already affected by two extraordinary fires which ravaged more than 20,000 hectares in twelve days, will again be placed on red alert for the risk of fires in the forest, announced on Sunday July 31, the prefecture .
This return of the department to vigilance “very high” (level 4 out of 5) from Monday, was announced by the prefect Fabienne Buccio, “in view of the weather conditions”, as a new heat wave sets in across the country.
Switch to #vigilanceRed risk #ForestFires in #Gironde from August 1 until further notice
⚠️very high vigilance / level 4 on a scale of 5
▶️ The prefect calls for respect for the rules of caution and civility
See all restrictions⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ZsDcwY7O36
– Prefect of New Aquitaine and Gironde (@PrefAquitaine33) July 31, 2022
This measure was activated on July 14 in Gironde, two days after the start of the two fires in La Teste-de-Buch and Landiras. In a context of calm with falling temperatures, the prefecture then announced on Wednesday the demotion of the department to orange vigilance (for “high”, level 3 out of 5).
Traffic in the forest prohibited in the afternoon and evening
The red vigilance “forest fires” has the effect of prohibiting the circulation of people and vehicles with or without engine in the forest between 2 p.m. 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. and to prohibit recreational and sporting activities in the forest.
The fire that burned 7,000 hectares of forest in La Teste-de-Buch, in the Bassin d’Arcachon, is now “mastered” since Friday but not yet extinct. While in the Landiras sector, in the South-Gironde, where 13,800 hectares of pines went up in smoke, the disaster is “fixed” since Monday July 25 but not yet “mastered”.