LArdèche firefighters are involved in several fire outbreaks east of Aubenas, in Saint-Privat, Darbres, Lussas, Freyssenet and Saint-Julien-du-Serre. Three fires broke out on Wednesday morning in four municipalities, the flames ravaging more than nine hundred hectares, the prefecture told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday July 27. Some 550 firefighters and 100 intervention vehicles were mobilized, as well as five Canadair, a Dash and a civil security helicopter, underlines the prefecture, which indicates that “the main fire continues to progress along the Ardèche river and is heading towards the town of Vogüé, where the action of the Ardèche firefighters is now concentrated”.
The criminal track is “privileged”, indicated the public prosecutor of Privas, according to whom one or more police custody would be “in progress”. “Hats off to the firefighters on the South Ardèche fire: commitment and courage in the service of the population. Privileged criminal track, GAV (police custody, editor’s note) in progress, ”said the prosecution on Twitter, without further details immediately. According to France 3 Auvergne Rhône Alpes, the Aubenas gendarmerie indicated that it had arrested a suspect near a start of fire, who was placed in police custody. On board his vehicle, the gendarmes found material which “could incriminate him”.
“As unfortunately, we have a situation of significant drought, high heat and then wind, the fire progressed very quickly, gained momentum and progressed southwards towards (the village of) Vogüe where it did not is still not fixed, “said the prefect of the department, Thierry Devimeux, at the end of the afternoon. The firefighters are trying to prevent it from reaching the village and spreading across the Ardèche river where there are large areas of scrubland.
READ ALSOIn the forests of the Hérault, with the “Experts” of fire
Ongoing evacuations
At this stage, there is “no threatened dwelling or injured person”, while the industrial zone of Lavilledieu has been “secured”. The authorities evacuated two factories as well as the Lavilledieu SPA, as well as a campsite in Saint Privat. Homes and campsites in the village of Vogüé are also being evacuated, according to the prefecture. “The objective is to ensure that the fire does not jump the Ardèche river to follow its course in the scrubland which is on the other side”, it was specified to the prefecture.
READ ALSOHeat wave, dome, feather: the lexicon of great heat
The village of Vogüé, “naturally protected by the cliffs”, was partially evacuated, with around 150 people affected, as well as 200 other people from campsites in the area, it was specified. Several roads were also cut, said the prefecture, adding that an investigation is underway to determine the origin of these fires, which broke out in the morning.
On social networks, a resident of Vesseaux filmed the plume, visible about ten kilometers around according to him. “A catastrophic summer, heat wave, drought… Our forests are disappearing when we need them so much,” he laments.