While France will experience intense heat in the coming days, with an episode of increasing drought, Éric Brocardi, spokesperson for the National Federation of Firefighters of France, estimates Tuesday, June 14 on franceinfo that we are on “a real powder keg”, what firefighters call “the rule of 30: a wind greater than 30 km/hour, a humidity rate less than 30% and a temperature greater than 30 degrees”. He therefore warns “the difficulties” that they will meet “for the summer period: if man does not pay attention to his own forest and his planet”.
>> Forest fires: “We have indicators which are not good and which let us predict a difficult summer”, fears a firefighter
“Indicators have allowed us to conclude that a summer of all dangers for this season”warns Éric Brocardi, deploring the start of fires “earlier and earlier”. The spokesperson for the National Federation of Firefighters counts “more than 600 forest fire starts” in the South-Mediterranean region, “since the beginning of the year”, and a phenomenon that is spreading throughout France.
“Today it’s the whole hexagonal territory that can catch fire at any time.”
Éric Brocardi, spokesperson for the National Federation of Firefighters of Franceat franceinfo
Fires have been recorded as far as Seine-Maritime and Brittany, reports Éric Brocardi. This phenomenon of early and widespread fires has been observed since “2-3 years”, in France, he says.
According to him, if he “we need to train the firefighters” across the country to this kind of fires, “it’s the second link” chain. “The first link is to train the population to be constantly vigilant since one in two fires is the consequence of human negligence”, says Eric Brocardi. “There are rules, measures to be respected, preventive acts to be carried out”, he reminds, like clearing brush or not throwing cigarette butts “foolishly out the window” of his vehicle. “We say it, we repeat it, be careful when you walk in the forest, when you light a simple barbecue at home, it can set a whole forest ablaze”concludes the commander.
With rising temperatures and drought, the risk of fire is greater, especially in the south of France.
Be vigilant around vegetation to prevent fires from starting. #Forest fires pic.twitter.com/uuQrffVbNd
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