The fire risk remains high this weekend. Firefighters urge caution.
The Gard has turned into a real furnace. According to our information, 30 fire starts took place on Friday in the department.
In Sernhac, the violent fire reported around 5 p.m. at the entrance to the Escaunes valley in Cantarelles, above the Nîmes-Remoulins railway line, near the tunnels, remains of the Roman aqueduct was completed since midnight.
On the Bessèges side, the fire is fixed, tells us the lieutenant-colonel of the Gard firefighters in charge of communication. In Générac, the fire is extinguished but remains under surveillance.
More than 1,000 hectares gone up in smoke and a risk of recovery
More than 1,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed in less than 24 hours in the Gard, according to Loïc Spadafora, weather specialist quoted by InfoOccitanie. The firefighters remain mobilized, as indicated to our colleagues from BFM TV Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent Joseph, current operations commander.
“The fire is technically fixedbut the mobilization on the ground of the firefighters is still relevant”, indicates Jean Rampon sub-prefect of Alès, to franceinfo this Saturday morning.
The situation could well degenerate again this weekend. Firefighters expect a fire risk still high since the temperatures will always be high with wind, and that many massifs “are already in a state of drought”. In addition, no rain is expected and therefore will not come to help the fire soldiers on the ground.
To precisely avoid this risk of recovery, the next step is to drown the sources, “hot spots by hot spots”, specifies this morning the sub-prefect of Alès.
We remain very vigilant (…) we do not know how to predict or risk starting the fire
Jean Rampon plays the card of caution with our colleagues from franceinfo. He also welcomes “thatno homes were affected“.
As a reminder, access to the garrigue and forests of the Gard has been prohibited for the next few days. Regarding the weekend of July 14, arrangements will be made. “The prefect will take an order” prohibiting fireworks, indicates Minister Caroline Cayeux on BFM TV.