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12,000 evacuated after wildfire on France's Mediterranean coast Thousands evacuated after wildfire on France's Mediterranean coast
(about 5 hours later)
Almost 12,000 people have been forced to evacuate after a new wildfire broke out in southern France, which was already battling massive blazes that have consumed swaths of forest, authorities have said. Summer wildfires are once again blazing across southern Europe, forcing the evacuation of 12,000 people on France’s Mediterranean cost and devouring swaths of forests as far afield as Corsica, Portugal, Italy and Albania.
Local authorities said the priority had been to evacuate people from tents at campsites. French holidaymakers evacuated from one campsite said they had been moved at around midnight and welcomed by volunteers at a gymnasium with mattresses, some of which were donated from a local nursery school. Authorities in the Côte d’Azur region decided to move people out of tents, campsites and holiday homes around the hilltop town of Bormes-les-Mimosas after a fire broke out in the surrounding forests on Tuesday.
The latest fire came a day after France asked for help from the rest of Europe to tackle the flames already raging in the tinder-dry south, including near the popular resort of Saint-Tropez. Some of the 12,000 people displaced by the flames sheltered in gymnasiums, village halls and schools while others huddled on local beaches.
“It’s an area that doubles or triples its population in summer,” said a fire service official on Wednesday of the blaze near Bormes-les-Mimosas on the Mediterranean coast. Karine Dolczewski, a mother of four from Pas-de-Calais who was on holiday with her family in the area, said they had been ordered to leave their holiday centre at about 10.30pm on Tuesday.
About 3,000 of the evacuees were holidaymakers on campsites, a few of whom ended up spending the night on the beach. Local journalists photographed several people curled up in sleeping bags on the sand while smoke from fire could be seen in the distance. “The sky was all red,” she told Le Monde. “It was a huge blaze with enormous flames spreading everywhere.”
The number of people on France’s Côte d’Azur swells in July and August as holidaymakers head to the beach, though the area is experiencing an exceptionally hot, dry summer that has made it especially vulnerable to fires. After hearing gas canisters exploding at a nearby campsite, guests at the centre in La Manne were told they needed to evacuate.
Most of those evacuated were local residents, who were given shelter in local gymnasiums on Wednesday. “We left everything there except for the baby’s bottle and nappies,” Dolczewski added. After marching calmly in single file down to the beach, they were taken to the village hall in Bormes-les-Mimosas.
On Tuesday, more than 4,000 firefighters and troops backed by 19 water-bombers had already been mobilised to extinguish the flames, which have left swaths of charred earth in their wake. At least 12 firefighters have been injured and 15 police officers affected by smoke inhalation since the fires broke out on Monday, according to the authorities. Local journalists photographed several people curled up in sleeping bags on the sand while smoke from the fire could be seen in the distance.
The blazes on Tuesday had devoured about 4,000 hectares (15 square miles) of land along the Mediterranean coast, in the mountainous interior and on the island of Corsica. On Tuesday, more than 4,000 firefighters and troops backed by 19 water-bombers had already been mobilised to extinguish the flames.
With strong winds and dry brush creating a dangerous mix, the government asked its European Union partners to send two extra firefighting planes – a request immediately fulfilled by Italy, according to the EU. But one union official denounced what he said was a lack of spare parts preventing all the aircraft required from being put into action. At least 12 firefighters have been injured and 15 police officers affected by smoke inhalation since the fires broke out on Monday, according to the authorities.
Gerard Collomb, the interior minister, announced on Tuesday that France would be adding six more firefighting planes to its fleet, during a visit to Corsica. With strong winds and dry brush creating a dangerous mix, the government asked its European partners to send two extra firefighting planes – a request immediately fulfilled by Italy, according to the EU.
A fire in La Croix-Valmer near Saint-Tropez, a resort frequented by the rich and famous, had been contained, said the local fire chief, Philippe Gambe de Vergnes, on Tuesday. But one union official denounced what he said was a lack of spare parts that was preventing all the aircraft from being put into action.
Gerard Collomb, the interior minister, said France would be adding six more firefighting planes to its fleet. He made the announcement on Tuesday during a visit to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, which also been badly affected by fires.
The number of people on France’s Côte d’Azur swells in July and August as holidaymakers head to the beach, and the area is experiencing an exceptionally hot, dry summer that has made it especially vulnerable to fires.
On Wednesday, Eric Martin of the Var firefighting unit told the BFM-TV channel that nearly 600 firefighters were trying to contain flames that had run through 1,300 hectares (3,210 acres).
Four tracker planes and a firefighting aircraft were sent in as thick black smoke billowed above the skyline.
The airport in Toulon, a city 25 miles (40km) from Bormes-les-Mimosas, was briefly closed on Wednesday, as well the Fort de Brégançon, which sits on a rock off the coast of Bormes.
The wildfires began raging along France’s Mediterranean coast two days ago, forcing smaller, scattered evacuations, with flames reaching a corner of Saint-Tropez.
A fire in nearby La Croix-Valmer was under control by Tuesday evening, according to the local fire chief, Philippe Gambe de Vergnes.
The blaze had already consumed 400 hectares of coastal forest in an area dotted with homes, he said. More than 200 people had to be moved from the area.The blaze had already consumed 400 hectares of coastal forest in an area dotted with homes, he said. More than 200 people had to be moved from the area.
La Croix-Valmer’s deputy mayor, René Carandante, described a desolate landscape of blackened headlands fringed by charred umbrella pines, where green forest had once framed the azure waters of the Mediterranean. “It’s a disaster area. There’s nothing left,” he said.La Croix-Valmer’s deputy mayor, René Carandante, described a desolate landscape of blackened headlands fringed by charred umbrella pines, where green forest had once framed the azure waters of the Mediterranean. “It’s a disaster area. There’s nothing left,” he said.
François Fouchier, of the local coastal conservation group, said local wildlife, such as the Hermann’s tortoises, would be victims of the fires. “We are going to find burnt shells,” he said.François Fouchier, of the local coastal conservation group, said local wildlife, such as the Hermann’s tortoises, would be victims of the fires. “We are going to find burnt shells,” he said.
About 50 miles (80km) inland, 300 hectares of pines and oaks went up in smoke near the village of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. A local official accused the authorities of failing to regularly remove dry undergrowth, making the forest a fire hazard.About 50 miles (80km) inland, 300 hectares of pines and oaks went up in smoke near the village of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. A local official accused the authorities of failing to regularly remove dry undergrowth, making the forest a fire hazard.
Corsica was also assessing the damage. A resident, whose house had at one point been in danger, spoke of “apocalyptic” scenes. Disaster was averted after the wind died down, but the blaze engulfed 1,800 hectares of forest and burned several vehicles. Further south, flames ate through 2,000 hectares (4,950 acres) of forest on the northern end of Corsica.
In Carros, north of Nice, a house, three vehicles and a warehouse went up in flames, according to regional authorities. Speaking to France Info radio, Charles Scibetta, the mayor of Carros, described waking up to a “lunar landscape” and said the inhabitants had had a lucky escape. In Portugal, more than 2,000 firefighters were battling nine major wildfires on Wednesday, with drought conditions, high temperatures and strong winds fuelling the flames.
“All of France is mobilised,” the head of the fire service in south-east France, Gregory Allione, told France Info, saying extra firefighters had been drafted in from the north. Another 1,000 firefighters were conducting mopping-up operations at 37 different Portuguese woodland blazes.
Thomas Curt, a director at the Irsea institute for research into the environment and agriculture, said a fall-off in farming in south-east France since the 1970s had made it more prone to fires. “Farmland is contracting and the forest is naturally expanding, making the area bushier,” he said. Ash floated in the air and vast plumes of smoke covered areas of central Portugal, in the area around Serta, about 125 miles (200km) north-east of Lisbon. The Civil Protection Agency said 24 water-dropping aircraft were in action.
A proliferation in the numbers of homes, roads and power lines near forests also increased the fire hazard, he added. Serta is close to Pedrógão Grande, where 64 people died in a wildfire last month. No injuries have been reported in recent days as the blazes raced through thick eucalyptus and pine forests.
In mid-July, a blaze believed to have been ignited by a cigarette butt tossed out of a car ripped through 800 hectares of land near Aix-en-Provence. Large wildfires are a common occurrence in summer in Portugal, where thousands of firefighters are on duty in the hottest months.
Portugal, meanwhile, which last month suffered deadly forest fires, has been battling fresh blazes since Sunday in the centre of the country, forcing the evacuation of about 10 villages. In Italy, where fires have raged for weeks, firefighters responded to 26 requests for water and fire retardant air drops on Tuesday, throughout central and southern Italy, including Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia, Lazio and Puglia.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report The Coldiretti agriculture lobby said 50 billion bees were destroyed along with their hives in fires on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Coldiretti said another 20% of the bee population is estimated to have become disoriented and died as a result.
Albania’s interior ministry said 130 firefighters were battling 18 fire spots around the country on Wednesday.
A spokesman, Ardian Bita, said fires were blazing in five western and central districts, damaging 15 hectares (37 acres) of pastures, vineyards and dozens of olive trees.
Firefighters, military personnel and local authorities have been fighting about a dozen wildfires every day in Albania since the end of June. No injuries have yet been reported. Authorities have arrested several people accused of starting fires.
“Compared to a year ago we have increased public awareness and have also had better communication with the communities and local authorities,” said Bita.