Extreme fire concerns: “Crucial”
The clock is ticking.
Meanwhile, the record-breaking fire continues to rage in France.
– The coming hours will be crucial, says Philippe de Gonneville, mayor of Lège-Cap-Ferret to BFMTV.
The situation is unprecedented, says Françoise Gatel, Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization to the channel.
The fires in southwestern France continue to rage. A total of 220,000 people have been evacuated and a massive rescue operation is underway.
But the firefighters do not have the weather on their side. Now there are concerns that the fire will gain further momentum soon.
New extreme heat threatens
A long-awaited shower came during the night in the hard-hit region of Gironde – but the happiness was short-lived. Now instead, a new heat wave is coming with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees at their hottest.
– We got a short break thanks to the rain during the night, which means that today we can have a race against time before the temperature rises, says Éric Brocardi, spokesman for the French firefighters.
Lieutenant Colonel David Annotel tells Franceinfo that the fire in the area risks lasting for weeks, or even months, before it is definitely extinguished.
– We have to expect that reinforcements will continue to arrive from all over France, he says.
Former fire chief Lars-Göran Uddholm tells TT that these fires are “beyond human control” to handle.
– Compared to what we think is big in Sweden, this is enormous. Nothing we have had has come close. So even if you have access to a lot of equipment, it's like trying to stop Niagara Falls, he says
"Economic bomb"
More than 13,000 companies have been evacuated in Gironde, and Economy Minister Roland Lescure describes the situation as an "economic bomb".
- It's hitting a region that didn't need it, he says according to BFMTV.
Companies throughout the region will be able to apply short-time work. Lescure also announces that insurance companies will cover the costs of up to three weeks of temporary accommodation, depending on what the entry bans look like.
- We stand with them, he says.
President Emmanuel Macron is chairing an emergency meeting this morning to discuss the fires and the ongoing efforts.
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