Fire risk alerts issued across south-west France
Météo-France places four departments under orange alert and nine under yellow
An orange alert means that weather conditions greatly influence the start and spread of fires
NataliaCatalina/Shutterstock and Météo-France
Temperatures are rising again, and with warm, dry conditions increasing the risk of fires, Météo-France has placed four departments under an orange forest fire alert.
This means that weather conditions strongly influence the risk and spread of fires, with risk levels significantly higher than seasonal norms.
The four departments placed under orange alert are: Aude, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, and Var.
Additionally, nine more departments are placed under a yellow, moderate danger, alert. These departments are: Pyrénées-Orientales, Gard, Ardèche, Drôme, Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.
The prefecture of the Var, a department which is particularly vulnerable to forest fires, has also posted on Facebook asking people to be vigilant.
It also strictly discourages going into forests in areas under orange alert and only allows agricultural, forestry, or other essential work to be carried out between 05:00 and 13:00, provided a fire extinguisher is available.
Any other work is prohibited after 13:00, and no fires or cigarette disposal on the ground are permitted.
For tomorrow, Météo-France predicts that the Hérault department will be downgraded from orange alert to yellow, while Vaucluse will be upgraded to an orange alert.
To help prevent fires from starting, The Ministry for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature and the Ministry of the Interior remind people that nine out of ten forest fires are caused by human activity, mainly due to negligence.
For that reason, they advise to organise barbecues at home, away from vegetation, not throw cigarette ends on the ground, and carry out work away from dry grass while always keeping a fire extinguisher within easy reach.
In case of a fire, you should call the emergency services on 112, 18 (or 114 for those with hearing impairments). Take shelter while waiting for the authorities to arrive (not in a car, as it may trap heat and smoke and become dangerous), and follow the instructions of the emergency services.
