Europe 1 with AFP 10:30 a.m., August 13, 2022

The fire that has ravaged the south of the Gironde since Tuesday is "in a pause phase" and its progression is "now limited", announced the prefecture and the department's firefighters on Saturday morning.

The balance sheet of this resumption of fire has been maintained at 7,400 hectares since Tuesday, "its progression is now limited".

The fire called "Landiras-2", which has ravaged the south of the Gironde since Tuesday, is "in a pause phase" and its progression is "now limited", announced the prefecture and the department's firefighters on Saturday morning.

The assessment of this resumption of fire, after the gigantic fire of July in Landiras, has been maintained at 7,400 hectares since Tuesday, “its progression is now limited” and “the fire did not progress significantly this night. 'Attach to dealing with the periphery of the fire,' announced the prefecture in a press release.

"The fire continues to consume the vegetation and the ground"

According to Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Mendousse of the departmental fire and rescue service of Gironde, joined by AFP, "the situation has changed to favorable" and the fire "is in the pause phase".

"We remain very vigilant" because "if we no longer see large flames, the fire continues to consume the vegetation and the ground", added the spokesperson for the Gironde firefighters.

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According to Météo-France forecasts, thunderstorms with gusts of 60 km/h are expected in the evening in the area.

These gales "could restart the fire", warned Mr. Mendousse, for whom the question of controlling the fire is "premature".

Saturday around 8 a.m., the humidity and the morning freshness were back at Hostens security headquarters, in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne forest, but the smells of burnt wood lingered for several kilometers around, noted a journalist. from AFP.

On the ground, a thousand firefighters are still mobilized, including many reinforcements from several European countries.

77 Austrian firefighters arrived on Friday evening and are expected to join the German and Romanian firefighters already deployed on the mission.

The last group, 146 Polish firefighters, is expected in the early afternoon, bringing the European aid contingent to 361 firefighters.

To these reinforcements are added 2 Italian Canadair planes and 2 other Greeks which began their mission on Friday.