After a scorching summer in Gironde and fires that ravaged 28,000 hectares of forest in July and August in the Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch sectors, new outbreaks of large-scale fires began on Monday September 12 in the afternoon in Saumos, in the Médoc. Tuesday evening, the flames had already swallowed 3,200 hectares of forest in this sector located about ten kilometers from the seaside resort of Lacanau. Four houses and some buildings burned in Saumos, where 540 people were evacuated Monday evening from the town as well as neighboring hamlets.
Tuesday evening, the evolution of the fire in the direction of the city of Sainte-Hélène led to the evacuation of 300 people out of the nearly 3,000 inhabitants of the town, while the unfavorable winds fuel the progression of the fire. ‘fire. “The evacuees leave for Castelnau-de-Médoc”reports Thibaut Chancy, chief of staff to the mayor of Sainte-Hélène. Those who have no accommodation solution will be welcomed in a communal hall. » The other residents have been asked to stay at home. “A quarter of the territory is evacuated. We are waiting for the evolution of the fire and, sector by sector, decisions will be made. Everything will depend on the evolution of the fire, the wind, the weather…”poursuit M. Chancy.
Throughout the day, the fire brigade system increased in strength with the arrival of reinforcements from all over the New Aquitaine region, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the South-East and the Grand West. In total, nearly 1,000 firefighters are fighting the flames, supported by four Canadair, three water bomber helicopters, two Dash planes and up to 320 trucks in the forest.
“A second night that will be long”
The weather conditions are indeed unfavorable with a strong and rotating easterly wind “which dries out, while the vegetation is already dried up, which does not help us”, specifies Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Pitault, in charge of communication at the Gironde departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS 33). A “explosive cocktail” which combines high temperatures, drought and heat. On Monday, the mercury exceeded 37 degrees in the area.
In addition, a second fire broke out in Vendays on Tuesday September 13, north of the affected area, mobilizing air assets already deployed in Saumos. “Priority is given to incipient fire. Once it’s a bit calmer there, they’ll come back to Saumos.”, explains the communication officer of the Girondin SDIS. Firefighters hope to get some respite overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, with temperatures expected to drop, and “the wind which should decrease in intensity, which would make it possible to defend the sensitive points around the houses”.
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