30 hectares covered by a wildfire in Argelès-sur-Mer

A vegetation fire broke out in the town of Argelès-sur-Mer, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, this Monday, May 8, shortly before 4 p.m. The fire started in the area of ​​the Château de Valmy, on the edge of departmental 914 at exit 13. The fire quickly moved on both sides of the road. At the start of the evening, the firefighters were confident, despite 30 hectares of vegetation covered by the flames.

The fire probably brought under control in the evening

The fire broke out between the Mas Christine and the Château de Valmy. The firefighters occupied the lanes to intervene on either side of the D914. Around 6 p.m. the firefighters estimated that the Massane forest massif was protected, but that 100 hectares in total could be “disaster”. A little before 8 p.m., they cleaned the edges and extinguished the fumaroles. The fire should be brought under control by the evening.

D914 cut for three hours

The expressway was cut in both directions from 4:30 p.m. and was to reopen around 8 p.m. according to the Pyrénées-Orientales Gendarmerie. At the start of the fire, thick smoke made traffic very dangerous. It is then recommended to leave the departmental road at exit 12 coming from Perpignan and at the Valmy roundabout from Collioure. Very quickly, all the roads in this sector were neutralized to allow the emergency services to intervene quickly. Significant plugs are forming to the north and south of Argelès. On this late afternoon, TER traffic is also very disrupted between Perpignan and Cerbère.

A massive deployment of firefighters

160 firefighters were mobilized**,** including twenty from Aude. Nearly 50 trucks deployed. A device greatly aided by two canadairs and a Dash who were able to chain rotations in the area and limit the spread of flames. An action made possible thanks to a moderate tramuntana (around 50km / h) which had not been the case in Cerbère last month
. According to the mayor of Argelès-sur-Mer, Antoine Parra, two houses were evacuated as a precaution. A campsite and a farmhouse also had to be protected by firefighters from the SDIS66, but without being evacuated.

At the end of the day, the SDIS66 as the mayor were confident about the evolution of the home. The tramontane must fall in the evening.