Severe risk of forest fires: seven forest areas in Bouches-du-Rhône closed on Monday

Seven forest areas in Bouches-du-Rhône will be closed on Monday, August 19 due to forest fires, the department’s prefecture announced in a press release. This concerns the Alpilles, Chambremont, Castillon, Montagnette, Rougadou, Sulauze, and the industrial-port zone of Fos-sur-Mer. Access to the other 19 forest areas in the department will be authorized tomorrow, unlike Sunday, when it was prohibited.

The prefecture is referring to a “risk of severe forest fires” with a mistral “strong enough” until mid-afternoon, with “gusts reaching 65 km/h”.

Météo France has placed six departments on orange alert for “forest fires”, or “high risk” on Monday: Bouches du Rhône, Vaucluse, Drôme, Hérault, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales.