The hinterland of Saint Tropez is on fire. According to the authorities, the fire in southern France is not yet under control. There is still no all-clear.
St. Tropez – “The fire is not yet under control. The fire has not yet been extinguished, ”warns the Var prefecture on Wednesday morning. More than 1100 firefighters are trying to put out the forest fires in the hinterland of Saint Tropez. Reinforcement has been requested. “The situation still requires the highest level of vigilance,” say the authorities.
Forest fires near Saint Tropez – thousands of vacationers and locals evacuated
More than 7000 hectares have already fallen victim to the flames. The fire broke out on Monday near a motorway service station. Thousands of tourists and locals had to be brought to safety from the flames. Campsites have been evacuated *. 7,000 people had to spend the night in emergency shelters, reports the Var prefecture. According to the rescue workers, residents and tourists around the places Grimaud and La Môle were particularly affected.
“We were very scared” – vacationers flee from the campsite
“We were very scared,” said the vacationer Celine Lopez from Strasbourg to the AFP news agency, who fled a campsite in La Môle with her family when she saw the flames. “We only took the bare essentials: ID cards, cuddly toys and pillows.” They drove towards the coast by car and stayed in the car. The family hoped to return to the campsite after the fire was out and continue their vacation.
However, the situation remains critical. “Evacuees are in no way allowed to return to their homes or places where they spent their vacation. They must remain in the rooms made available to them by the municipalities, ”ordered the Var prefecture on Wednesday.
Fire brigade continues to fight forest fires in southern France
Fire fighting planes have been in action again since daybreak. Helicopters are also said to drop depth charges to contain the fire. Work to restore the telephone and electricity networks is ongoing. Copernicus EMS satellite images clearly show the extent of the fires.
Forest fires in the south of France – video shows fire inferno
The fire spread rapidly on Monday. Strong wind fanned the flames. Firefighters posted a video of the action against the forest fire on Twitter. It shows how a roller of fire with meter-high flames and dark clouds of smoke eats its way through the country.
🔴 [# Operations]
More than 70 # Pompiers13, with @ SDIS83 and extra-departmental reinforcements, are currently fighting against #FireDeForêt which does not spare the #Var.
A tough action fueled by a strong wind.
The entire #ForceDesSecours is mobilized on the front. pic.twitter.com/L6ngvEGnL2– Firemen 13 (@ Pompiers_13) August 17, 2021
The wind made the extinguishing work extremely difficult. President Emmanuel Macron got an idea of the situation on site, as reported by the AFP news agency. The fight against the flames continues, the fire is “not yet contained,” he said during a visit to the control center in Le Luc. The fire brigade has so far been able to “prevent the worst” through their courageous efforts. Despite the strength and speed of the fire, no victims have yet to be complained about. Macron is currently staying at his summer residence, Fort de Brégançon, near Bormes-les-Mimosas on the Mediterranean Sea. (ml) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
