A new fire broke out in the Pyrénées-Orientales, this Monday, May 8, 2023. 30 hectares of scrubland and vines burned, before the 160 firefighters deployed on site managed to control the fire at the start of the evening. They were assisted in their work by two Canadairs and a Dash.
The fire started in the south of Argelès-sur-Mer and spread towards the Albères massif before being brought under control around 9 p.m. The flames covered 30 hectares in total, according to the firefighters of the Pyrénées-Orientales interviewed by Norbert Evangelista and Audrey Reynal of France 3 Occitanie.
140 firefighters from Pyrénées-Orientales and 20 from Aude were mobilized on site with more than 30 fire-fighting vehicles. They dreaded the wind in the evening. The firefighters will remain on site until 11 p.m., then the area will be placed under surveillance for several days to prevent any new outbreak of fire.
The fire broke out on the edge of a four-lane, departmental 914 which connects Perpignan to the Spanish border. The authorities are speculating this evening that the fire started following the throwing of a cigarette butt from a vehicle traveling on this road.
In addition to firefighters on the ground, water bombers, two Canadairs and a Civil Security Dash based in Nîmes-Garons were engaged for aerial combat.
video duration: 00h00mn36s
Two Canadairs and a Dash are engaged in the fire that broke out on Monday May 8, 2023 in Argelès-sur-Mer.
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©F3 Occitanie / N. Evangelista & A. Raynal
Firefighters asked residents to stay home and not block the roads.
According to the first information, the flames progressed rather slowly.
The departmental access to Argelès was cut in both directions at exit No. 13, towards Racou.
Disturbances were also announced to the SNCF, on the Cerbère / Perpignan line. TER and TGV traffic is interrupted. With delays of 15 minutes to 1:40.