The Departmental Fire and Rescue Operational Center fears “strengthening of the wind” and high temperatures, making it difficult to control fire, which “has taken on a significant scale”.
Le Monde with AFP
The fire which ravages a forest of Maine-et-Loire since Monday has burned more than 1,200 hectares, requiring the presence of nearly 400 firefighters, said the departmental fire and fire operation and fire center on Wednesday 10 August 10 rescue (Codis). The fire, in an area located between Angers and Le Mans (Sarthe), “has grown important, we are 1,240 hectares of burns. We are still not masters of fire”, deplored Codis with the agency France-Presse (AFP), while it is going to be “very hot” during the day and that we fear “strengthening the wind”.
The fire started on Monday “in the sector of the commune of Baugé-en-Anjou, a somewhat special sector, because it is an exclusion zone: which means that neither the population nor the aid can enter, because there is storage of ammunition from the Second World War, “said Codis.
herbaceous plants participate in the spread of fire
Now, very exactly 377 firefighters, 200 of which came from other departments, are on site to fight the flames. “We are protecting 22 sensitive points, including an accommodation center for disabled people”. About 70 people were evacuated, according to the same source. “For the moment all the actions of the firefighters have been effective with regard to the protection of sensitive points since we have no sensitive point which has been impacted by the disaster. On the other hand, we have not yet succeeded to take control of this disaster, “explained the firefighters.
The fire ravages the pugle forest, a forest massif which has many herbaceous plants, including ferns which promote the spread of fire. “We have improbable fiery swings: we very strongly suspect voluntary fire ignitions,” said Codis.
Furthermore, still in the same department, a fire in the Beaulieu-sur-Layon sector ravaged 80 hectares. “This fire is fixed, and we are master of fire,” said Codis. “We defended three sensitive points, including an equestrian center and a castle”. However, “the area remains to be avoided”, warns the prefecture.
#The fire ⚠🔥 The fire at Beaulieu-sur-Layon has been fixed but the area remains to be avoided. Near 100 sappers… https://t.co/ha8vid5uyi