Stéphane Burgatt, edited by Loane Nader // photo credit: Guillaume Pinon / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP 07:53, June 02, 2023

Summer is coming and with it, the fear of forest fires, especially in the hottest areas of the country. Emmanuel Macron will be on the air base of the Civil Security of Nimes, in the Gard this Friday. In some territories, firefighters are already on guard.

This Friday, the President of the Republic goes to the air base of the Civil Security of Nîmes, in the Gard, to meet the men and women who fight the start of summer fires each year. Right next door, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, it's time to warm up. A column of tankers is positioned around an equestrian center. This is the last exercise before the summer and the fire brigade is revising their ranges. "We have a northwest wind that will enter to the left at the quarry," anticipates a woman firefighter before her superior confirms: "Received!"

After an autumn and a dry winter, rainy episodes have been almost daily in the department for two weeks. Not enough to reassure Commander Frédéric Thomasson for all that. "Clearly, it's just delaying the drought. It's already taken. Of course, we hope to have a quieter season than last year. That doesn't stop us from staying alert," he explains.

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"The trees are starting to suffer"

However, one parameter is very important to take into account, according to Frédéric Thomasson: "If we take a slightly significant wind episode, we will quickly increase the risk. It means that at the slightest spark, it will leave, it will leave very strong. Especially since the rains can be very localized. The pine forests around the Etang de Berre are already dry, observes Lieutenant Fabrice Carboni, of the Martigues barracks. "But for the moment, in terms of rain, we are not very well, it rains everywhere in the Bouches-du-Rhône, except at home or very little. It's starting to get dry, as you can see it's quite yellow, the trees are starting to suffer."

This summer again, cooperation will be key: the firefighters of the Bouches-du-Rhône are also ready to reinforce other departments.