While firefighters are still mobilized against the fires in Gironde, which have already ravaged 20,600 hectares, some firefighters are already qualifying them as “the fire of the century”. 73 years ago, this was already the name the fire which spread over 52,000 hectaresincluding 25,000 wood in the Landes de Gascogne forest.
It all started with a cigarette smoked by a guard in the cabin of a sawmill located in Saucats, a town located south of Bordeaux, about ten kilometers as the crow flies from Landiras where the perimeter of the fire reached today 66 km. This August 19, 1949, the department suffers from drought and nearly 100,000 hectares of the Landes forest have already gone up in smoke that year.
Strong and swirling winds
It’s a new blaze on the front of the fires affecting the region, but it will be the deadliest. In a newspaper article fightunearthed by the press site of the National Library of France, Retronews, a journalist of the time recounts the impotence of the firefighters in the face of the mayors’ procrastination to make decisions. And, despite a hastily lit backfire, the flames grew in intensity. “Appalled”, the men of the fire could only see him go from peak to peak, trying in vain to put out the fires.
And the heavens are against them. Violent and swirling winds will fan the flames on the side of Barp, then Salles and Mios, traveling on August 20 to 6,000 hectares in twenty minutes. In this hell, 82 rescuers, from all over the world, including soldiers, but also residents and foresters will be trapped and die there. The small town of Canéjan will lose 26 of its inhabitants, against ten lost in combat during the two world wars.
A day of national mourning for the soldiers who died in the fire
National solidarity, but also international, is organized. Great Britain lends a hand by sending firefighters to the front and tracked vehicles. The Paris firefighters participated, as did the 33rd Artillery Regiment from Poitiers, which sent men. And will pay a heavy price since 25 of them will lose their lives. A national day of mourning will be organized on August 24 to pay tribute to them.
Even as the population’s criticisms multiply to denounce the lack of means in this fierce fight against the blaze. Yesterday, like today, it is the head of the government that is targeted. At the time, Paul Ramadier, Minister of National Defence, will recognize it, “the means implemented were not commensurate with the scourge”.