A violent fire was brought under control overnight after covering several hundred hectares on Monday evening, causing the evacuation of more than 3,000 holidaymakers from various campsites in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in particular in Argelès-sur-Mer. The fire is “fixed”, the prefecture told AFP on Tuesday morning, about this fire which affected the municipalities of Saint-André, Sorède and Argelès, about twenty kilometers south-east of Perpignan.
A total of 450 firefighters remain mobilized, supported by aerial surveillance with the aim of “avoiding a resumption of fire”, according to the same source, specifying that most holidaymakers were able to return to the campsites except “350 to 400” for which a support unit will be set up.
“Firefighters are still fighting”
Going to meet these campers, hosted in a communal hall in Argelès, the prefect Rodrigue Furcy specified that “the fire is fixed”, but that the most affected area remains under “strong vigilance” and “the firefighters are still in struggle”. Live on France Bleu Roussillon, he added that 30 houses were affected by the flames, eight of which were heavily impacted, as well as a warehouse and a campsite where “the damage is very significant”. “The good news is that we have no casualties,” added the prefect, reporting about twenty “firefighters slightly injured because they inhaled fumes” and one hospitalized after a fall.
According to the prefecture, “the fire broke out shortly after 5 p.m. [lundi] and traveled 480 hectares in a peri-urban area with a high tourist concentration. The situation was particularly delicate due to intense heat, drought and swirling winds up to 80km/h”. In total, “more than 650 firefighters” were mobilized overnight, and eight Canadair, three Dash and three water bomber helicopters deployed Monday evening until nightfall, according to the prefecture.
Four campsites and two housing estates were evacuated and seven accommodation rooms were opened in total in the three municipalities to accommodate the evacuees. From midnight, the occupants of three of the four campsites were able to return to their accommodation. An investigation has been opened to determine the origin of the fire, unknown for the time being and has been entrusted to the Céret research brigade, the gendarmerie said on Tuesday.