The fire that has been raging in Gironde since August 9 has burned more than 6,800 hectares of forest in two days.

On the front, some 1,100 firefighters are mobilized with particularly unfavorable weather conditions, said Thursday August 11 the prefect of Gironde, Fabienne Buccio.

The state representative indicates in a statement that reinforcements are expected to fight the fires, adding that the risk of fires starting is "very severe".

"The conditions are particularly difficult: the vegetation and the soil are particularly dry after more than a month without rain," said the prefect.

🔥#FiresGironde |

Update at 8:00 a.m.


▶️6800ha burned


▶️10,000 people evacuated


▶️1100 #SapeursPompiers mobilized



Very severe fire outbreak risk conditions: ➡️vegetation and dry ground


➡️heat wave


temperature ➡️dry air



➕d'infos👉https:// t.co/yh8Cjpc2Wh pic.twitter.com/XDnO8nEz3I

– Prefect of New Aquitaine and Gironde (@PrefAquitaine33) August 11, 2022

"The scorching temperatures (40°C today) are expected to continue until Saturday and combine with very dry air to create very severe fire outbreak risk conditions," she adds.

The virulence of the fires forced the authorities to evacuate 10,000 people.

"It's a fire that goes very quickly," said Grégory Allione, president of the National Federation of Firefighters of France (FNSPF), on RTL.

#Gironde |

Another night of fierce fight against forest fires #Fdf 🙏



Despite the unwavering commitment of 1,100 firefighters, 6,600 hectares have burned.



Caution and courage to all "climate soldiers".

pic.twitter.com/luOInwBk9g

– Firefighters of France (@PompiersFR) August 11, 2022

Several fires set towards Angers

Elsewhere in France, the fire has been brought under control in Maine-et-Loire, where two fires have ravaged more than 1,500 hectares since Monday.

They are now fixed, according to the department's firefighters. 

"We are still in defense of sensitive points on 22 sites because they are located in the burnt surfaces. We have very many recoveries, some of which are not natural", however regretted the departmental operational center for fire and rescue (Codis) .

In Beaulieu-sur-Layon, south of Angers, in the Layon wine region, the fire is also fixed and 150 hectares have been burned.

"The fire requires vigilance since, there too, we have unnatural occasions", according to the Codis.

More than 500 firefighters, many of whom came from other departments, are still present on these two disasters.

According to scientists, the multiplication of extreme meteorological phenomena (heat wave, drought, fires, etc.) is a direct consequence of global warming, with greenhouse gas emissions increasing in intensity, duration and frequency.

With AFP

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