Since the start of the summer, firefighters have been warning the public that hot temperatures and dry conditions make France a ‘tinderbox’ for forest fires this holiday season.
These predictions have unfortunately come true, as more than 20,000 hectares of land have burned in Gironde, south west France. Meanwhile wildfires have sprung up across the country, leaving many looking for the best ways to keep track of them.
Luckily, there is an application that allows anyone from any location to monitor forest fires in France – it is called ‘Feux de Forêt’ and is available for download iPhones and Android.
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The creator of the app, Anthony Montardy, told Actu that the goal of the app was “to alert the public to the start of new fires, the evolution [of existing fires]and to relay prevention messages.”
The app will send alerts of any new fire outbreaks in your area. It could also be particularly useful for second-home owners, as you can also monitor ongoing fires from a distance by updating your notifications to decide which départements you would like to get alerts for.
A screenshot from the application
Here you can click on your département to see the fires currently burning near you. They will be classified as either ongoing fires, the beginning of a fire, or ‘suspicious smoke’ (suspicious smoke reported).
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The application also has interactive maps showing your area’s risk of fire and tracking currently burning fires.
Screenshot from application
If you find yourself in a red or orange area, the application will also explain the different levels of risk and the rules that apply.
The application also has a messenger feature that allows gives you the number to text in case you want to send an alert for a wildfire or suspicion of smoke.
The app exists alongside the website ‘Feux de Forêt‘ and is not intended to replace official communications from departmental fire and rescue services.