Europe 1 with AFP 10:12 p.m., July 21, 2022
At the beginning of the afternoon, this Thursday, the prefecture announced that the situation was "totally stabilized" on the side of the Arrée mountains, where a violent fire devastated more than 1,725 hectares.
An unprecedented phenomenon, for which the Quimper prosecutor's office opened two investigations on Wednesday, one of which for "crime of willful destruction by fire".
The fire in the Monts d'Arrée is "under control", the situation "totally stabilized" and the roads will reopen "during the day", announced Thursday at the beginning of the afternoon the prefecture of Finistère.
The total area burned is "1,725 hectares of vegetation composed of moors, fir forests and deciduous trees", she said in a press release.
"Reassuring observations for emblematic species"
In terms of road traffic, "the reopening of the roads will be effective during the day", added the prefecture.
In a separate press release, the Regional Natural Park (PNR) of Armorique carried out an initial environmental assessment of the damage, reporting "reassuring observations for emblematic species" but also "concerns for natural spaces".
"Spread over 10,000 ha, the Natura 2000 site of the Monts d'Arrée is home to the largest set of Atlantic moors in France and the largest complex of peat bogs in Brittany", recalls the Park.
According to the first observations, "the fire would have affected more than 15% of the site, burning approximately 1,100 hectares of moors and 380 ha of wet moors and peat bogs", he indicates.
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Two investigations opened to determine the origin of the fires
"The fire would not have a dramatic impact on the emblematic bird species of the Monts d'Arrée", according to the Park teams.
On the other hand, "the concern is more about the micro-fauna (insects, molluscs, small mammals and birds, amphibians, reptiles) which probably could not escape: this is the case of the European Nightjar which nests on the ground at this time," he adds.
An assessment should make it possible to make a more precise assessment in the days to come, depending on the nature of the fire.
“After a running fire which only burns the upper part of the moors, the vegetation can quickly return to its initial stage”, indeed notes the Park.
“On the other hand, if the fire smolders, especially on peat moors, the peat risks releasing the carbon it stores and the seed bank present in the soil can be affected”.
The Quimper prosecutor's office on Wednesday opened two investigations into these fires, one of which for "crime of willful destruction by fire".