facing the risk of forest fires, more than 200 firefighters spread across the Pyrénées-Orientales, some from Slovakia

The fire risk is assessed by Météo France in the department for Saturday as “very high”. Reinforcements of firefighters have been mobilized, announced on franceinfo Colonel Eric Belgioïno, director of the department’s fire and rescue service (SDIS) in Pyrénées-Orientales.

“We are ready for this alert, we have put in significant resources for this Saturday, a preventive system with a very dense network to attack new fires very quickly”explains Friday, August 23 on franceinfo Colonel Eric Belgioïno, director of the department’s fire and rescue service (SDIS) in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Météo France has ruled “very high” the risk of forest fires in the department for the day Saturday, while a Foehn effect is expected, of warm and dry winds.

Skovvejr is a communication tool that serves the general public. The emergency services, which establish their own emergency maps, assess that the danger is particularly significant.on the plain of Argelès-sur-Mer in Perpignan” and on the massifs “Albères, Fenouillèdes and Corbières”.

Eric Belgioïno explains it “more than 200 firefighters are spread across our department on preventive measures in the mountains”while“in classic summer coverage, there are 120 firefighters on the ground”. He specifies that he had the reinforcement of “70 firefighters from the south-eastern zone and 18 firefighters from Slovakia as part of the reinforcements of the European module”.

In the air, SDIS 66 will be available “two departmental water-bomber helicopters”, “a heavy water bomber helicopter” and a Dash water bomber located in Carcassonne. These funds “make it possible to put out all fires that break out in the department and that do not exceed 5 ha”.

The head of SDIS 66 also calls to be “collectively on guard”remind of it “nine out of ten fires are of human origin”. He calls for “throw your cigarette butts in ashtrays”hair “have barbecue at home away from vegetation”and to avoid work that may generate sparks. On Saturday, August 24, cars, horses, pedestrians, bicycles will not be able to circulate “on unpaved paths and paths inside the massifs” of the Roussillon sector, according to a prefectural decree.