Aude. The fire continues to spread, 610 hectares burned, houses damaged.
More than 630 firefighters are working to control the blaze that broke out Saturday in the Aude department and is still not contained. Strong winds could complicate rescue operations.
The fire has already burned 610 hectares of vegetation. Photo AFP/Matthieu Rondel
The fire that broke out Saturday on the Mediterranean coast in the Aude department is still spreading this Sunday morning. The fire broke out early in the afternoon in Sigean, before spreading across 610 hectares of vegetation towards Port-la-Nouvelle. It is believed to have started near the edge of the A9 motorway, which connects the Rhône Valley to Spain, according to the sub-prefect.
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More than 630 firefighters are working to control the blaze, which is still not contained, said Rémi Recio, deputy prefect of Aude. Firefighters hope to achieve this goal this Sunday with support from two Canadair jets and two water-bombing helicopters starting at 9:30 a.m., but wind gusts of up to 80 km/h are expected late morning, he added.
On Saturday, two houses were badly damaged by flames in Sigean, one of which was almost completely destroyed, according to the same source. However, all the residents and holidaymakers – around 1,000 – who had been preemptively evacuated to Port-la-Nouvelle were able to return to their homes and campsites on Saturday evening.
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Météo-France had placed the Aude department on orange alert for a "high risk" of fire for Saturday. It remains on orange alert this Sunday, along with the Gard and Vaucluse departments. The Var and Bouches-du-Rhône departments are on red alert.
Le Journal de Saône-et-Loire
