2024-09-13 00:35:31
Special equipment was dispatched by firefighters. A “catastrophic” fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in the Pyrénées-Orientales, triggering a fire protection around 30 kilometers from Perpignan. This is what we know.
What happened?
The fire occurred on Thursday around 3 pm, around the towns of Camélas, Castelnou, Montauriol, Caixas and Thuir, around 30 km west of Perpignan, the Pyrénées-Orientales region said in a press release.
With the wind blowing at 70 km/h, the fire is progressing quickly: 150 ha of the area has burned around 4:20 pm, and the flames have covered 400 ha of vegetation an hour and a half later, around 5:45 p.m. In a situation update at 8:30 pm, the district indicated that, of the 400 ha covered, 300 have burned.
The fire had stopped progressing in the evening, but was still not contained, according to the area and firefighters. While the fire has stopped progressing, the situation is more “favorable” than in the afternoon, but the fire is still not fixed, according to the Fire Service and Rescue Department (SDIS66).
This fire occurred while the Pyrénées-Orientales were under severe drought for the third consecutive year. The department has been placed by Météo France on an orange alert for “high risk” of fire this Thursday, as part of from the forest weather.
How many people came out?
80 residents of Castelnou were evacuated in the middle of the afternoon “as a precautionary measure”, referring to the Pyrénées-Orientales region in its press release. However, no house in the village was affected by the fire, confirmed the mayor of this village of about 300 residents. on France Bleu Roussillon.
Among them, “25 have accepted this (FRIDAY) evening at the hotel in Thuir,” however indicates the area.
Some isolated farms in the local villages of Caixas and Montauriol also had to evacuate around 5 p.m., according to local radio, which did not specify how many people were affected.
At the scene, the train stopped on a branch road. Children who go to schools in the area and those who have to return to these villages are sent to a community hall in Thuir town, again according to the area.
What equipment do firefighters pack?
800 firefighters were mobilized, as well as five dash, seven canadairs and two water bombers, directed to the area. 50 gendarmes were also deployed. The community called X to avoid the complex.
In addition, two firefighters were “slightly injured” while responding to the scene of the disaster, according to the district. These have been taken care of. However, no civilian casualties were reported.
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