Within hours, at least 350 hectares of forest and fields burned in southern Charente. Firefighters are still trying to put out the multiple fires that would have been started in cascade, one after the other.
In the early afternoon, several fires broke out in southern Charente. There would have been no less than 15 outbreaks of fire in a very restricted perimeter (around the D24 and the D70, between Courgeac and Nonac) which would have started one after the other, in less than an hour. Twenty people were evacuated to the area as a precaution. According to our information, no homes would be affected.
The multiple fires have already burned between 350 hectares of forests and fields. On site, the wind made the task more difficult for the firefighters. This Thursday evening, the lights are still not fixed.
MAP – Municipalities of Courgeac and Nonac
Tonight there are 350 hectares of burnt areas, plus about 15 hectares, further north, towards the town of Nonac.
Initially, nearly 180 firefighters from the Charente departmental corps went to the scene. Three columns of extra-departmental firefighters joined them. A column from the south coming up from the Dordogne. But also a column that comes from the west and another from the Haute-Loire Which makes about 550 firefighters hard at work on these fires.
Colonel Bruno Hucher, Director of the SDIS of Charente and commander of operations from the PC installed in Blanzac indicates that the device is important. Four Canadairs carried out 125 drops, two water bomber helicopters and three Dash planes are trying to extinguish the flames. The Dragon de Gironde helicopter was even mobilized for reconnaissance operations. Air operations are now suspended for the night. Reconnaissance and ground operations continue.
A gendarmerie investigation (supported by a helicopter) is underway due to the multitude of simultaneous fire starts.
