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French army drills 'cause fire' Fury at French army over wildfire
(about 4 hours later)
French firefighters have been tackling a major wildfire sparked by a military exercise on the outskirts of Marseille. The French army has come under stinging criticism after a military exercise caused a forest fire that forced people to flee their threatened homes.
The blaze threatened some 400 homes and forced the evacuation of a retirement home and centre for disabled people. The local prefect condemned the exercise, which sparked a fire that spread from the countryside to the outskirts of Marseille, as "imbecilic".
Officials say the fire is now "under control", although some 500 firefighters remain at the scene. Michel Sappin said the military knew the scrubland was vulnerable because the same thing had happened last year.
A senior government official said he was "furious" with the army and troops should have taken more care while carrying out artillery practice. The fire started when soldiers fired tracer bullets against regulations.
"It's completely unacceptable that the army keeps up these activities during this period as though there was no problem," regional prefect Michel Sappin told RTL radio. The blaze threatened some 400 homes and elderly residents had to be evacuated.
The French armed forces announced they had suspended a Foreign Legion officer who was in charge of the practice, the AFP news agency reports. Personally, I can't see the need to carry out military exercises in 32-degree heat and a strong wind Marseille Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin
Wildfires are common in southern France in summer. Inhabitants of a retirement home in La Panouse, south of Marseille, had to be carried away in their pyjamas at 0300 (0100 GMT). A nearby centre for the disabled was also cleared as the fire approached.
By Thursday morning, rescue workers said it had been brought under control, although some 500 firefighters remain at the scene. Seven firefighters and police were slightly injured overnight.
'Violation of orders'
Marseille's mayor and senator, Jean-Claude Gaudin, demanded that the military help out with the clean-up operation.
Marseille officials and residents are angry at the military over the fire
"Personally, I can't see the need to carry out military exercises in 32-degree heat and a strong wind. It must really have been someone who is not from around here who took this decision," he said.
"We did the best we can but when you're faced with this kind of incredible stupidity, you need to say so with a certain force."
Later, military spokesman Col Benoit Royal said it had found that tracer rounds had been "used in violation of orders given".
As a result, the army general staff decided to suspend the soldier in charge, a section head of the 1st Foreign Legion regiment.
Strong winds and high temperatures have helped trigger fires across the region. In Spain, the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Barcelona has been suspended because of blazes in the north-east of the country.
Four firefighters were killed in Tarragona province on Wednesday, while more than 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
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